After this busy day at Honiu's place, I can finally depart back home.

Yet before I come very far, my way is blocked by drones.

While the present guardians keep their distance the workers come quite close, surrounding me so I can't escape and a messenger approaches.

(messenger)

Is this a joke?

(F)

(messenger)

If I wouldn't know better about these insects' ability to lie I'd say this messenger is making fun of me.

(F)

(messenger)

(F)

Surprisingly, even though we are already pretty high up in the hive the way we go leads even further upwards.

The number of guardians rises significantly and I need to admit that they still manage to disturb me.

Those giant creatures with their blade arms and sharp tail spears are simply a bit intimidating and even their pheromones, which I can now receive, are very basic and determined to fulfill their purpose, which is to guard and kill anything that might try to slip past them.

However, they make way for the messenger and like this subsequently for me.

We enter some kind of giant gateway hall.

The guardians in front of it again allow passage through the biggest entrance I ever saw.

It feels almost uncanny to go through there into the dark.

Yet it's not like I had a choice in the first place.

And before I notice it, I'm left alone.

That messenger just abandoned me!

With some unease, I try to find my way in this darkness.

I know, logically I can be quite sure that it's almost impossible that any harm may befall me.

There is to consider that my role should be known to the insects and because I as well emit pheromones I can simply tell them, in addition, I have at the moment one of the most important jobs there is in the hive, so I should be safe.

However, logic only helps me so far when I think about being lost here in the dark with countless giant insects surrounding me.

It's simply a frightening thought.

(U)

God! My heart! I heard and felt this wind blowing around me, but much much more intense was that sudden voice in my head.

While it felt gentle it was so extremely pressuring.

After I've got over the first shock I can figure out that someone speaks to me using pheromones. So I should respond.

(F)

(U)

The moment this thought appears in my head, titanic claws slam left and right from my position into the ground.

Then the biggest moving thing I ever saw lowers itself in my direction.

Okay, okay, Farrah.

Just a being so big it could squash you with a single finger.

Damn, I need new underwear.

Okay, no reason to panic.

It's here to talk, not to eat you.

(F)

(U)

I'd rather think it's linked to your introduction as a titan of certain doom.

(F)

(U)

So this is the queen?

She's actually a bit different from what I've imagined.

Still quite impressive, which is to a great degree linked to her size and the fact that her voice in my head is so strong that it overtones everything else.

(U)

(F)

(U)

Ah, it got a bit better.

Still far too intense, but endurable.

(F)

(U)

This one has quite a thing for twisting the perspective on the situation in her favor.

I'd actually have to tell her quite a lot about not abducting my daughter and performing weird experiments on her, and all the rest, but the moment isn't great.

Maybe when she's not towering above me so high that it would only need a single move from her to kill me.

Yep, that would be better.

(F)

(U)

At least, I have to admit that she's quite good at twisting perspectives.

(F)

(U)

She almost sounds sad here.

Or at least distraught.

(U)

(F)

(U)

(F)

Whatever the circumstances were, and even if it's about insects, I won't sugarcoat that she slaughtered someone's babies.

She did, and this is quite a thing to hold against her.

(U)

Sadly I can understand her to some degree.

It's not like I didn't do something similar.

But it feels kinda wrong.

(F)

(U)

Aargh! My head! Too strong! Too strong! This was clearly too much! I, I...

"Blurgh" (F)

I've got so sick from this strain.

Damn, pheromones are something else.

The queen might have noticed that she kinda overreacted.

(U)

(F)

Back then I had no choice.

I was outclassed and couldn't even hope to help.

Honiu is the same. She didn't make the choice, but her brood did.

They sacrificed themselves for her sake.

Yet the queen decides on the course of action which benefits the swarm the most.

This might be the right thing to do for a leader, but I cannot accept it.

(U)

(F)

(U)

(F)

(U)

(F)

(U)

(F)

(U)

God, that topic.

Fine, I've already said enough to get executed for lèse majesté.

So why stop here?

(F)

That sounds kinda wrong.

(U)

(F)

(U)

(F)

Why am I even starting with this?

Is it... this pheromone mist around me?

The queen wants me to talk so I'm more inclined to do so.

My ability to decide for myself isn't really taken away from me, but I'm less hesitant about speaking my mind.

(U)

Another shove.

(F)

(U)

(F)

(U)

That actually hit quite close to home.

Do I just fear the unknown?

Damn, she's good.

If I look at it objectively an adjustment might help me settle in here.

I mean, clinging to humanity in a clearly inhuman environment is a bit pointless.

I can have rules and things I don't want to give up on, but if I can decide this out of my own volition it would objectively not be so bad if it's within my comfort zone.

And in comparison, Erys is clearly out of hers and still manages.

Something that wasn't too nice from our dear queen.

(F)

(U)

(F)

For all her talk about difficult decisions, this one doesn't sound too sound.

(U)

Sounds quite whimsical to me.

However, her impression of my daughter might be fitting, as far as I know her.

(F)

If I think about how she wanted to go to festivals, or a prom, showing off expensive clothes.

Telling her that her wishes aren't too realistic was no fun.

But, uh, should I talk about this in front of the most powerful and certainly most massive being I ever encountered?

(U)

(F)

(U)

Sigh, pheromones.

She didn't directly say daughter, but "female offspring of the princess pattern" is a bit cumbersome while for her absolutely the same.

(F)

(U)

It feels like genuine interest.

Which is kinda odd, considering who I'm talking to. She's even leaning forward.

Ah, whatever.

I had never too many chances to chat with someone else about my children as the farm was so remote.

And if Erys asks I'll simply blame the pheromones.

(F)