Chrysalis

Hello dear readers! It’s been some time, but it is I, Travelling Tolly, at your service to bring you my tumultuous tales from the lands of the Colony!

As we all know, the third stratum isn’t the most welcoming to tourists. The weather is simply dreadful, the air filled with choking ash and the heat is positively suffocating. Naturally, being the incredibly accommodating hosts that I have learned they are, the ants of the Colony have gone to great lengths to make conditions more convivial.

“They call this ‘air conditioning’,” Emilia explained to me, pointing to the strange contraption on the wall. “It will keep your room cool for you, and the temperature can be changed according to the dial on the wall there.”

“How wonderful,” I exclaimed.

Of course, such technology wasn’t unheard of in the Silver City, but I have learned not to feel superior around the remarkable engineers of the Colony. When I carefully inspected the dial on the wall, I realised I didn’t recognise the measurements.

“What units does the Colony use to measure temperature?” I asked Emilia, and the young woman smiled.

“They use different units depending on the task. When smithing and crafting, they use the same universal units as everyone else, but for comfort, they measure it in grubs.”

“Grubs?”

Emilia gestured for me to examine the dial carefully. In the centre of the dial is a 0, and I see I can shift it to the left or right.

“The default setting is the perfect temperature for rearing grubs. Turn it to the left, and the room will rise in units of grubs, turn to the right and it will grow cooler. One grub is the difference in heat that will add exactly one day to the rearing time of larvae.”

“Fascinating.”

I was quite chuffed to learn of this little kernel of Colony culture, and I greedily filed it away for you, my dear readers! Of course, such enchanting work is difficult and expensive, so I decided to confirm something with my guide.

guest room in the nest

Emelia smiled. “The Colony doesn’t really believe in social hierarchy. All of the guest rooms

and bathroom, but no kitchen. The Colony would never let a guest cook for themselves,

many guest rooms are

fifty thousand rooms

“Of course there are.”

of demons! Emilia was only

surrounded by millions of ants? They’re more likely to bring me a cup of tea than kill me! At this point, I

the Colony, this nest is simply called the Roklu nest, but it holds greater significance for us who live alongside them. We call this place ‘Great One’s Descent’, since this is where the Eldest came down to the third stratum, the first ant to place

interesting! Is the temple here

she shook her head,

turned to my two

that, boys? We’re going to the demon

demon city isn’t that unusual. If there’s one good thing about demons, it’s that they don’t discriminate. Anyone can go into a demon city, but you can’t necessarily leave.

But Emilia only laughs.

much. You’ll find Roklu

she is

the central pillar to create a truly massive city that teems with demons and ants alike. What is truly shocking is that there are even people living here! Not many, to be sure, but still, for any civilian to be willing to live amongst

city I’ve seen! Wide roads, neat houses and structures. Even the many varied sizes of the demons were accommodated! Naturally,

instead led us directly to the centre of the city where we found the temple Emilia had referred

measures. What was a little surprising were the two gargantuan statues standing guard on either side of the gate that leads to the temple. The two figures flank the gate which opens to a wide set of stairs

are these two?” I

left was a young girl, fire burning in both her open palms, and on the right was