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.

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. The

brightly as they imparted a quick burst of healing mana to the

done, the ant backed up and began to make her way out

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

just how bizarre it was that she could see a genuine Dungeon monster skittering around with a newborn in its grip and feel absolutely

it was a younger, less evolved healer. She hadn’t had time to absorb the proper grumpiness expected of

from her eye. Such a touching scene, one that she would never tire of.

will leave you to

mayor,” they replied and she smiled at them once more

than a year ago that

the 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 built

This sort of mage-work was laborious, and expensive, which made it rare, at least, rare

could take some credit for that, but even there, the influence of the Colony was felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly, it was rare to see someone waiting more than a few seconds at any

was 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

were thriving.

office situated in the same building. She walked behind her desk and sat with a weary sigh, her old bones creaking as she

these days, and healing magic didn’t help

felt limber enough, she grabbed 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 meeting was due to take

time to place it in an envelope and seal it, but