With a slight sense of trepidation, I move to Princess Chera's quarters.

She sent a messenger only a short time after I settled down from the experience at the border of her hive.

I leave my beetles at the entrance, as I can't really force my way here, and they wouldn't be able to do all that much.

Also, I'm rather sure Chera means me no harm.

Otherwise, she wouldn't let me get so close to her.

I enter and see that she prepared another dinner.

It seems she prefers to talk over a meal.

Yet the fact that it mostly consists of the meat of those weird creatures might be intentional.

(C)

She is trying to appear amicable, but it seems slightly forced, in a way that she's clearly uncomfortable.

For now, it might be smart to appease her.

(E)

(C)

Her whole demeanor is still kinda weird.

As I said, it seems forced.

As if she's acting.

Or rather, as if she meticulously laid out what to say here.

(E)

I can basically perceive by the pheromones how much she wraps her head around formulating her response.

(C)

She clearly makes a point of emphasizing how much she is in control.

To her disadvantage, I'm done with taking such words for granted.

The king made a big show of trying to reassure me how much he was in control and how secure his rule over his subjects was and look where it got me.

No, I certainly won't listen to any more speeches about me not having to mind the obvious issues.

(E)

(C)

Seriously?

Is she delusional?!

(E)

She must be aware of this.

I can't believe that she would be so detached from the situation she's in.

(C)

She is?

As far as I know, she went here decades ago.

Did she in all this time simply forego this project?

She doesn't give this impression.

(E)

(C)

I feel her facade slowly cracking.

The things she's saying don't add up, and she knows it.

I might just have the argument to get her over the edge.

(E)

(C)

With a deadpan face, I say:

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

I don't believe a word she says.

She probably doesn't believe herself.

Fine, then let's go for the final blow.

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

I kinda feel like a bully right now.

Princess Chera tries to lie.

Something that goes against the very nature of a Formicea.

Her misfortune is just that I'm a former human.

And if humans are proficient in something then it's figuring each other out.

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

Okay, that was some emotional eruption.

I think now I'm going to get my answers.

(E)

(C)

Until it didn't anymore, huh?

(E)

(C)

Even if I repeat myself here: Until it wasn't anymore.

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

Seems like she had at least one big drowning.

(E)

(C)

(E)

I mean, she's already at it for so long.

The tunnel I went to looked pretty much fortified.

(C)

This she says with the most grim pheromones I've received from her until now.

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

This story gets more and more problematic.

It starts to sound like she's barely managing to survive here.

(E)

(C)

(E)

I'm starting to suspect that she has issues with dealing with her feelings.

(C)

Said the human-sized insect.

Though, I'm one to talk.

(E)

(C)

(E)

We already clarified that a mycelium is probably the most important facility in a hive.

A princess can barely manage to consume as much as a single unit of nectar contains.

Hers is apparently... lacking.

someone consumed more than this, I was forced to send my troops to claim any wild-growing mycelium harvest.> (C)

Is she now seriously blaming me for having to stir up the monsters because I have to eat?

(E)

If I'm already sensitive to it, her brood can't be faring much better.

(C)

(E)

(C)

(E)

(C)

This progressively seems like the worst place one could ever have established a hive in.

Why is she insisting so much on staying?

(E)

(C)

Does she truly believe what she's saying?

(E)

I'm sure Uma would send her own daughter the troops she needs.

Certainly enough to reclaim her fields.

Formicea regain their numbers quickly, so it should totally be an option to consider.

(C)

(E)

(C)

She doesn't make any sense.

Formicea princesses love their brood.

I can't believe she would just sacrifice hers.

(E)

(C)

What was that!?

(E)

(C)

She's not just furious, but completely freaking out.

It's as if she is having a breakdown right now.

(C)

Did she lose it?

am capable! Adversary is only a challenge to overcome! I'll prove myself!> (C)

I, I think I get it now.

She's a perfectionist child!

Chera is so obsessed with being perfect that it renders her unable to give up and cut her losses.

Even worse, her own image as being impeccable makes her refuse to call for help.

Or to summarize, after all this time in this shitty situation she is a mental wreck.

Now she's just quietly mumbling to herself.

(C)

It's kinda worrisome to look at.

Especially, the very human way she's mawing her claw between her mandibles.

Fortunately, the carapace holds for now.

(C)

Is this a game for her?

Oh damn, would it be good or bad if she'd learn about table games?

It worries me deeply.

(C)

(E)

(C)

Huh!?!

From one moment to the other this talk took a turn I'm not the slightest bit comfortable with.

(E)

(C)

Sorry, but what about my consent?!

(E)

(C)

That may be, but certainly not with you.

Though, I probably should word this more politely to the one with the psychotic fit.

(E)

(C)

Sure, after what happened before, I'm certainly going to trust your keen judgment.

Not!

(E)

(C)

Did I already mention that I doubt her ability for rational thinking?

By now it's clear that she is not listening to my words, and I worry what might happen if I agitate her further.

(E)

(C)

Oh damn.

Thinking about it, she might have a point.

I'm not even sure how Uma currently thinks about me after what totally could be considered a massive blunder of mine that almost dealt a heavy blow to the swarm as a whole.

She might not even want to see me.

It could totally be that Chera manages to monopolize me and my brood.

Which basically means I'm back where I started.

In captivity with the prospects of having my brood forced to fight in someone else's conflict.

(C)

And with this, I basically get thrown out.

Me and my nosiness.

Sigh.

"Plop"

Oh damn.