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 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

as they imparted a

began to make her way out of

up and checked. It

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

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

tear from her eye. Such

will leave you to it. Congratulations

replied 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, and already they thrived as they never

to stay out of everyone’s way. She stepped out into

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

Colony was felt. Traffic flowed so smoothly, it

approach and ask whatever questions were on their minds. She welcomed it. Where not long ago these exchanges were a never ending series of disasters as too few resources were divided amongst too

were thriving. Renewal had

in time, her own office situated in the same building. She walked behind her desk and sat with a weary

were so stiff these days, and healing magic didn’t help at all. It

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

an envelope and seal it, but