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.

the eyes didn’t quite reach, the antennae certainly did. The recovering mother was lightly tapped and brushed by those curious feelers as

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

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

been cleaned up and checked. It will return

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 child.

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

new baby boy returned to her arms. As Phillip leaned in to embrace them both, Enid brushed a tear from her eye. Such a touching scene, one that she would never tire of. How long had it been since she saw her own children?

will leave you to

she smiled at

ago that they had fled the

pat at 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

expensive, which made it rare, at least, rare before the catastrophe. Every street in Renewal

could take some credit for that, but even there, the influence of the Colony was felt. Traffic flowed so

to approach and ask whatever questions were on their minds. She

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

She walked behind her desk and sat with a weary

kneaded her hands for a few minutes. They were so stiff these days, and healing

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

and seal it, but decided against it. A waste of paper. Too inefficient, as