Chrysalis

[Regardless of the quality of the goods your colony produces, there will need to be a reduction in the price due to your very nature,] a snooty brathian merchant says to me.

Inside the bubble, these, I’m assuming, exceptionally wealthy men and women aren’t quite as impressive as they are outside of it. Their flowing robes and elaborate garments are adorned with loose fabric that dances and swirls through the water as they move through it. In the bubble, it attempts to do the same, powered by some enchantment, but ultimately it fails to be nearly as impressive.

[We’re monsters,] I reply, flatly, [though I suppose you could make an argument we are similar to the bruan’chii. Only the first Queen was actually born from the Dungeon, the rest of us are her children, either directly or by several degrees.]

[The bruan’chii don’t have cores.]

[Oh, we’re obviously more monster than they are, I don’t mean to imply otherwise. You were saying something about our nature?]

[Monsters don’t adhere to the same levels of cleanliness or hygiene as the civilised races,] the merchant declares as if stating the obvious. [There is no doubt your produce has more contamination than would otherwise be the case.]

No way she said that. I focus a bit to see a little more clearly. Yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s a she. Imagine attacking a colony… not just any colony, the Colony, about cleanliness!

It’s been the same with all of these merchants. They don’t necessarily mean what they’re saying, all they want is to find an angle to drive down the price. The fact that they’re talking to me at all and attempting to haggle means they’re interested in buying.

[We clean ourselves with acid,] I snap. [Acid. Do you clean yourself with acid?]

[What? Of course not!]

[Then please take a step away, I don’t want my carapace contaminated. Look, look at that ant over there, you see what she’s doing?]

I point with an antenna and the merchant turns to see.

[It—]

[She.]

[... She… appears to be rubbing her legs all over herself.]

more carefully. Look at the hind legs, see how they stretch to the back.

think I

legs, then using it to clean her legs, then rubbing those across her carapace. You are watching an acid bath happening in real time. No mould, no dirt, no nothing! We are the cleanliest species on the entire planet. We wash our

take the

other members of my family, is because we don’t feel clean here in your city. We live packed together in nests surrounded by earth and

know that it has been

you

to. My legs are

to discuss compensation from the city

~~~

in these ingots,] Smithant said.

mean,] Cobalt confirmed. [The smelting method seems rather unusual, notice the folds in

[Of course.]

‘agent’. The Island Conglomerate had sent someone to accompany the carver contingent who were out browsing

interested in these ingots here. Could you inquire as to the

[Of course.]

mage, Irisod, turned to the agent and relayed the ants’ request. The owner of this particular stall

two-fifty. That’s at least

two ants

over the value of the goods,” Smithant said,

find someone more

as the ants began to move away, and the mage reached out

come down in price. He’s

percent too much,] Cobalt replied, not

They took another step.

and Irisod reached out to them once

you are very discerning customers, the merchant is