Chrysalis

Enid looked down at her tea with a slight smile on her face. Not only had the ants secured a source of truly delightful tea leaves, they had also managed to procure sugar, goodness knows from where. In the same manner in which they tackled every issue, namely head on, they had begun cultivation and experimentation of the substance the moment they had the free resources to do so. One would have assumed that the ants would care little for such frivolous items, instead concentrating their efforts in other directions, yet she had visited the tea plantations herself, seen the vast amount of energy they put into the care of their leaves.

The Colony truly didn't believe in outsourcing labour. The idea of having someone else grow the leaves and then purchasing them seemed almost alien to their insect minds. To be fair, labour wasn't exactly something they were short of, but she could only imagine how frustrating she would have found to deal with these monsters as a merchant. The second you found something they wanted to buy, you also created a competitor, because no sooner did they purchase it than they started trying to make or grow it! Two weeks later they would turn around and start selling your own merchandise back to you, and probably at a higher quality than you yourself had been able to obtain!

Infuriating.

The tea fields couldn't be described as vast, but they were certainly extensive, and now with the sugar plantation added alongside them, they almost extended over an entire expanse, with further expansion planned. Not only had her own people in Renewal become addicted to the pleasant flavour and delightful sweetness, but so had Rylleh and an increasing number of the ants themselves, most particularly the Queens. And if the Queens wanted something, they were going to get it.

"Mayor, are you ready?" the calm voice of her secretary reached her through the door.

"Yes, Terrence. I'll be there in a moment."

With a groan she forced her old bones to move and forced herself up out of her chair. She'd been feeling her age more keenly than ever over the last few weeks, ever since the siege had ended, but she had long gotten used to forcing the niggles and aches that plagued the elderly to the back of her mind. She gathered her things and regretfully left the plush and comfortable lodgings the Colony had provided for her in the nest behind. They'd even installed heating sigils that kept the room at a comfortable temperature at all times! Such an extravagant use of valuable cores was something only the royalty and noble class would dare contemplate in Liria before the wave, and now she was able to enjoy it.

Once she opened the door she was greeted by the warm and cheerful face of Terrence, her latest secretary. He'd been a scribe in the capital before the destruction, a skill he was now able to put to good use in the service of the survivors.

"How are you today, Ms Mayor?" he asked politely.

"I'm fine," she groused, "stop harassing me. You're worse than a grandchild."

just smiled as he fell into step beside

attention today," he said, "but

"Of course."

thing I scheduled your appointment with the Rylleh merchants for the

Enid groaned.

old bats want

of imposing copyright law. I understand there are quite a

were on

most

the sun, since the Colony's legal system, such as it is, is

already been a claim

"I suppose this is how they're hoping to stop the ants from competing with them, by having the Colony

that Enid had been tasked with hammering out the details of trade between the Colony and the societies that lived around them and likely wouldn't be the last. So far, the wily old trader had proven to be more than a match

the hospital that had been set aside for the non-insect members of the nest Enid wasted no time in stepping forward to comfort the injured and sick. A kind word here, a held hand there, she lifted the spirits of her people with her mere presence and seeing the gratitude on the faces Terrence couldn't help but feel his deep gratitude to this old woman strengthen. She worked so hard for them when by all rights she

a few with mana sickness…" she fretted after she finished chatting with a soldier who lay infirm in

He nodded.

elevated since the end of the last wave and the conditioning program wasn't enough to make up the difference. Every non-monster has been evacuated from that stratum for the time being until the Colony is confident that those who wish to join them have sufficiently

pushing

Terrence raised a brow.