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.

Even if the eyes didn’t quite reach, the antennae certainly

moments, the antennae glowed brightly as they imparted a quick burst of healing mana to the

up and began

[the baby has been cleaned up and checked. It will return to this room

moment, Enid was forced to confront just how bizarre it was that she could see a genuine Dungeon monster skittering around with

cheerfully, and Enid could only assume it was a younger, less evolved healer. She hadn’t had time to absorb the proper grumpiness expected

eye. Such a touching scene, one that she would never tire of. How long had it been since she

will leave you to

she smiled at them

year ago that they had fled

expertly cut stone walls before she exited the facility, doing her 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

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. Not only that, the layout of the town itself was a masterful

was felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly, it was rare to see

citizens pleased to see her and unafraid to approach and ask whatever questions were on their minds. She welcomed it. Where not long ago

people were comfortable. In fact, the people were thriving. Renewal

way back to the council chambers in time, her own office situated in the same building. She walked behind her desk and

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

a pen and began to 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

envelope and seal it, but decided against it. A waste of paper. Too inefficient, as the Colony would