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.

ant bustled forward, its head just barely high enough to see over the top of the bed Lilin rested in. Even if the eyes didn’t quite reach, the antennae certainly did.

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

ant backed up and began to make her way out of

been cleaned up and checked. It will

it was, nestled in the mandibles of another healer ant. For a moment, Enid was forced to confront just how bizarre it was that she could see a genuine Dungeon monster skittering around with a newborn in its grip and feel absolutely no fear for the

he is,] the new ant said cheerfully, and Enid could only assume it was a younger, less evolved healer. She hadn’t had time to

a tear from her eye. Such a touching scene, one that she

will leave you to

and she smiled at them once more before

would have their own hospital? It was less than a year ago that they had fled the ruins of their homes,

facility, doing her best to stay out of everyone’s way. She stepped out into the

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. Not only

there, the influence of the Colony was felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly,

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 not

were thriving. Renewal had more than delivered upon

building. She walked behind her desk and sat with a weary sigh, her

kneaded her hands for a few minutes. They were so stiff these days, and healing magic didn’t help at all. It wasn’t possible to heal

began to compose a letter. It wasn’t overly long, but she carefully pondered each word, which dragged out the time. As

an envelope and seal it, but decided against