Chrysalis

“Congratulations,” Enid smiled down on the still recovering young woman.

“Thank you mayor,” Lilin replied, radiantly happy despite what she’d just been through.

“We’re very happy,” her husband Phillip said as he stared lovingly down at his wife.

“And how has the care you’ve received been?’

“Oh, just perfect,” Lilin said.

“We couldn’t be happier, mayor. Thank you,” Phillip said.

“That’s good. After the effort we put into building this place, I’m glad it’s all come together.”

[We told you it would be fine,] the on-rotation ant-medic said. [I still don’t understand why you doubted us in the first place. When is the Colony anything but first-rate?]

[I should have believed in you,] Enid admitted, [but even I wasn’t sure how well you would be able to run a maternity ward. You don’t know anything about human reproduction.]

[Bah,] the ant groused, [our queens give birth hundreds of times every day. You think we can’t heal someone who has given birth only once? Don’t be ridiculous. Now get out of the way, I need to check the patient.]

Healers, medics and doctors always managed to be rude and ill-tempered. Even the non-human ones! In some ways, Enid took comfort knowing that this fact of life was even more universal than she’d thought.

certainly did. The recovering mother was lightly tapped and brushed by those curious feelers as Lilin’s eyes took on that slightly glazed expression of a

a few moments, the antennae glowed brightly as they imparted a quick burst

and began to make her

she said, [the baby has been cleaned up and checked. It will return

that she could see a genuine Dungeon monster skittering around with a newborn

he is,] the new ant said cheerfully, and Enid could only assume it was a younger, less evolved healer. She

in to embrace them both, Enid brushed a tear from her eye. Such

will leave you to

they replied and she smiled at them

than a year ago that they had fled the ruins of their homes, and

best to stay out of everyone’s way. She stepped out into the streets of Renewal, and finding herself in a reflective mood, began to appreciate just how well

with deep drainage ditches along both sides, they were the sort of roads only the wealthiest lived on in Liria. This sort of mage-work was laborious, and expensive, which made it rare, at least, rare before the catastrophe. Every street in Renewal was formed this way, crafted by the carvers with exacting precision.

Traffic flowed

engaged in conversation regularly as she made her way to her destination, the citizens pleased to see her and unafraid to approach and ask whatever questions were on their minds. She welcomed it. Where

fact, the people were thriving. Renewal had more than delivered upon

walked behind her desk and sat with a weary

a few minutes. They were so stiff these days, and healing magic didn’t help at all. It wasn’t

compose a letter. It wasn’t overly long, but she carefully pondered each word, which dragged out the time. As it turned out, she finished just before the meeting was due to take

an envelope and seal it, but decided against it.