Okay, currently there are far too many people staring at me.
I'm by now somewhat used to how my drones treat me, even though I still feel uncomfortable about being the focus of each and every one.

But currently, I also worry about all the others in my group.
While Honiu impressively manages to ignore everything and Kyska is the usual professional, there are still mum and the girls.
The latter seems the most uncomfortable about the situation.
That they're poor orphans at a party only attended by the most illustrious guests is certainly not helping.
They even go as far as squeezing a little closer to Honiu as if they want her to protect them.

 

"Why did the music stop?! This is a festival, so please, resume your activities! We don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable, right?" (King)

 

The voice of the king booms throughout the room and makes everyone turn toward him.
Most follow his demand and although a little forced they engage with each other like before.
I guess it simply won't do if the guests of honor get sieged by every single guest.

With this, I can start moving around a bit more freely.
My royal guard meanwhile settles to the side of the wall, but I just know that they wouldn't even need a second to reach me if it would become necessary.
And annihilate everyone in their way while they're at it.
I just hope they won't get agitated by the general spectacle here.
Because this is probably the most pompous event I've ever attended.
Well, my birthday party might top it if I put the number of involved individuals in relation, but surely not in terms of spent money.

As I said, this time it's not just a dancing ball but a full-blown event.
Yes, some people are dancing, but there's also so much food and drinks both in mass as in variety.
Also, they brought some furniture out so that you can converse without having to stand the whole time, which is also an indicator that this might last longer than the guests' leg strength allows them to stay.

Speaking of them, they're supposedly the top of the country and one looks fancier than the other.
Their clothes bear so much gold and jewelry as ornaments, they're basically competing in who can show off more fortune solely on their clothing.
I can't even fathom how much one could buy with the accumulated wealth in this hall.

But there's a certain factor aside from the insurmountable cost that draws my attention.
This one exclusive to the ladies present.
The thing is, they not only wear all this superfine fabric and adornments with occasionally far too big stones, but there's also a certain other element.
Wings!

It seems that for some reason it became the newest trend among the ladies to add insectoid wings of all different sizes, shapes, and materials to their outfits.
It's needless to say that they're all expensive as fuck.
Especially, one lady stands out who uses a special contraption that makes them extend from her back.
And this move certainly gathers some attention.
Unfortunately, it's not enough to draw all of it away from my person.
Being an actual insect princess is apparently still more interesting.

 

"Princess Erys! Oh, I'm so glad to make your acquaintanceship!"

"It is wonderful to meet you like this!"

 

It doesn't take long and I'm swarmed by all kinds of nobles who surely all want something from me.
While I can keep them somewhat at bay with the platitudes I learned during my training, they're completely relentless in their approach.

 

"Excuse me? It seems the princess feels uncomfortable. I'd suggest you all cease sieging her and return to the other very important business you tended to before." (?)

 

Promptly, the group that gathered around me disperses.
Naturally, I turn in the direction of whoever just spoke and find the lady with the moveable wings.
I think I should be polite towards her since she kinda helped me out, although I'm well aware that now she is basically in their position and her smile tells me that she has no intention to leave.
But anybody whose words hold such a weight is someone I shouldn't antagonize.

 

"Thank you for your assistance Lady..." (E)

 

Fuck, should I've learned the names of all the guests?

 

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm Duchess Anameri Carina." (Carina)

 

Duchess!?
That's like the second-highest title in the whole country, just after the king.

 

"Eh-, I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Princess Erys from the swarm." (E)

"Certainly you are! There's not a single noble not aware of you! You wouldn't believe what an influence you and your people had. I am so fascinated. I even had them model these wings after hearing about yours. But they're nowhere near as impressive as the real deal. Please tell me, is it true that you can move them as you wish? Even fly?" (C)

 

She's quite the personality I need to say.

 

"Theoretically, yes. But if I would flutter them in such a manner, the successive gust of wind might throw everything off the tables." (E)

"Yes, that would be something, though I doubt that anyone would hold it against you. But if flying isn't possible could you extend them just once? For me?" (C)

 

As I mentioned before, antagonizing this woman for no reason would be bad.
If anything, her infatuation with Formicean culture can be considered positive.
At least one pose should be fine.
Fortunately, my dress isn't restraining their movement.
While they're a little stiff since I didn't use them for quite some time, it's still an easy task to perform.
All three sets are raising upwards and extending as if I'm going to lift off any moment.
Naturally, that act is once again drawing all the attention to my person.
But at least someone is happy.

 

"Magnificient! That was even more impressive than I imagined it!" (C)

"I'm glad that you liked it." (E)

"You have no idea how sad I was when I couldn't attend that last event. But as my fief is a bit distant from the capital there was just no way I could make it. I'm so glad I have now a chance to redo it. It's such an incredible thought that there's your whole nation below our feet!" (C)

"You're welcome to visit anytime, naturally with former announcement so we can prepare. On another note, I'm sure our base below the city should be free to visit once we've left. At the moment there are sadly too many issues regarding security." (E)

 

From her look, I would almost believe that she seriously contemplates this.

 

"Ah, Lady Carina! I see you're already engaging with Princess Erys." (K)

"Of course! She's such a pleasant character to be around." (C)

 

And that even though I barely said a thing.

 

"You found us your majesty?" (E)

"After that display, it would be strange not to find you. The whole hall saw you." (K)

"I hope this didn't cause trouble." (E)

"Of course not. You and Princess Honiu are our special guests for today. Nothing you do could be wrong." (K)

 

That's quite generous towards my person.

 

"Anyway, what were you talking about?" (K)

"Only about Princess Erys and her people. I'm sure there is so much to learn." (C)

"Then I'd like to join." (K)

 

I shouldn't offend the king.

 

"Sure. By the way, where is Lady Temia? She's one of the few nobles I know. While she can be a bit rough, I find her honest nature quite appealing." (E)

 

Was that polite enough?

 

"Oh, I regret to inform you that Lady Temia had to leave for the front. It might not look this way, but we need every soldier there we can send. I hope the new troops will make a difference. It might deepen relations if the soldiers see your kind fighting by their side. Naturally, not in a too-exposed way. We ought to choose our fights wisely." (K)

 

I'm not sure what I can answer.
I hope Temia is going to be fine.
As far as I know, she's from a warrior house, so it can be expected of her to fight for the country.
That she's commanding Formicean units is a bit of a problem, but this man managed to word it extremely obliging.
I can't find many faults in his reasoning.
Who am I to tell them not to use what they have to defend themselves?

 

"We should turn to more pleasant things. How about we talk about everything over a drink?" (K)

 

Can I even drink alcohol?
While I'm an adult by now I heard that pregnant people shouldn't drink.
And while it's an unusual case, nobody can deny that I'm carrying quite a number of lives inside me.

 

<My princess, you seem lost in thought. Is something the matter?> (Kyska)

 

Kyska notices as always perfectly well when I am unsure about something.

 

<I'm just not sure if I can drink this.> (E)

<Why wouldn't you? As a princess your ability to digest different sources of sustenance is incomparable. Such a human drink shouldn't pose a problem." (Ky)

<Well, this is alcohol and it's a bit special in a way that it has a peculiar effect. They make it by letting fruits become overly ripe before draining the fluid out of them.> (E)

<They dare to present you an extract originating from rotten fruit?! The audacity!>" (Ky)

 

Yes, there she is, fully enraged.

 

"I don't understand the issue, but is there a way I could help?" (K)

"Eh-, I just think that there's a problem for me taking that drink." (E)

"Then why don't you try some of the sweets instead? They were all created with a completely new ingredient. It's called nectar." (C)

"You already have nectar here? But we just started to trade in Osari with it." (E)

"If you can be sure about one thing then it’s that if there's a new trend, the capital is the first place to find it. There's no limit to the expenses they take upon themselves just to be the first to have something new." (K)

 

Doesn't sound great for sustainment.

 

"I really need to thank you for this. The shortage of sweets was vexing, to the point where you barely got a pint of sugar, and now I can even have a taste of something so completely novel. It's incredible that such goods come from you." (C)

"If you take the time to look closer, you'll realize that while it's certainly foreign, we have a very developed culture. Our homeplace will be a most impressive sight to you with all the aspects you can't even fathom yet." (E)

"I can't wait to see it for myself. I'm especially curious to see how you create such pleasant sweets like nectar." (C)

 

I don't respond to this wish of hers.
Instead, I look at the incredibly wide variety of puddings, cakes, and sweets of every kind and only have one thought.
They can never know the truth.