At my appearance, both Ambrosias stood up in greeting.
I was still gaping at them.
"Necty! Finally, you are here," the one holding a wax tablet said, smiling gently at .
"Necty! It took you too long to return," said the honey-eating one with the exact sa smile.
Okay, sothing was very wrong here. But… What exactly actually?
I closed my mouth and shook my head, since my bee-wives looked worried.
"Hi, Amby and Amby," I smiled back at them, but didn't co up for a hug.
The sense of wrongness was still lingering in my head, nagging at with insistence that didn't let just dismiss the feeling.
I felt like there was danger here—but why would I feel threatened in my own house, in the heart of Hive Supremo, where thousands of my daughters were ready to defend at a mont's notice?
"Necty? Is sothing wrong?" Ambrosia with a wax tablet asked, eying with a frown.
The other Ambrosia nodded with the sa expression, as if silently echoing the question.
"I… I don't know. Am I getting 'ill in the head' for real?" I shook my head. "You know, I'm going to take a bath after the road, and then—maybe things will clear up then. At least I will be less dusty!"
"We will arrange a hot bath for you, and it will hopefully help. And if not, I know what always clears your mind," Ambrosia said, smiling mischievously at .
The other Ambrosia nodded.
"Yes… And it clears our mind from worry, too, after you return from far away."
I blushed, feeling my rising excitent, and sothing else. The sense of wrongness didn't disappear, but it beca secondary. The idea of two Ambrosias at my sides, with a soft breast for each of my hands, felt strangely novel and arousing.
But I knew it would take a while to heat the water for the bath despite the amount of Attendants who could carry it, and the sense of wrongness was still there…
"I'm sorry, but I need to check on sothing really quick," I said, stepping back. "Maybe it will clear my head even faster…"
"Huh?"
I smiled at my bee-wives reassuringly.
"I will explain everything when I understand for myself what is going on!"
With that promise, I flew off, leaving the Royal Chambers and flying past the labyrinths of the Hive Supremo's mix of old and new architecture. There, at the edge of the hive cave, was standing the tower-like Oracler—academy and dormitory for Oracles.
"Father!" Chief Oracle Undecided greeted at the entrance. I wasn't sure if she predicted my appearance, or was just hanging around often. "The sisters will be happy to see you visit us. You also want to ask sothing… I'm unsure if I can answer myself. Let's all talk inside."
She led deeper into the Oracler's spacious chambers, where Oracles were free to socialize and ditate. A dozen were here right now, and they all greeted with smiles, but without surprise.
I returned their greetings, and Undecided led to a table with a few empty seating places.
"I and other lead Oracles didn't see major threats in the Empire's present. As for the future—we are focusing our efforts on the rebellion of human Farini, as you asked us…"
I nodded.
As we found by trial, error and experience, Oracles could predict only things their "future selves" witnessed with their own eyes. One could say that they lived their own lives several days ahead of the present. Except it wasn't just one life, but all the possible lives.
This was why one or two Oracles were always present at the Council sessions—it let their "future selves" see what was being done and what was happening in the Empire so they could predict it. Because, for the past us, these Oracles were their future selves.
Yes, this confused too, at first. But I'm too smart for sothing like this to puzzle for long!
The point was, most Oracles got their information from second hands, either from the Council or from each other.
Then it took them a lot of effort to sift through the possibilities to find the most prevalent ones…
Since I wanted Farini to win, I asked most Oracles to take reports of our Agents and predict the future based on them. As for the Empire itself, only a few Oracles were left thinking about it.
Maybe I shouldn't have done that.
"Still, maybe you have a prediction for ," I said. "I feel like sothing is wrong, but I don't understand why. Like there's a threat I can't see... Even now."
Undecided nodded in understanding.
"Ah, I have been feeling like that lately, too. I've been searching my dreams harder, trying to find an answer… But they were more confusing than usual. Very calm, though. That's always wrong for them to be so calm… But most of my other sisters don't have this problem."
She rubbed her forehead tiredly, and I frowned.
"Maybe you are getting sick? You should visit the hospital. I will talk to your sisters—and you take care of your health."
"But it's still two days until my scheduled check-up, and my predictions didn't tell I will get sick!" Undecided whined. "I don't want to be poked by Physicians again…"
I gave her a stern look and said nothing.
Undecided lowered her head.
"Yes, Father…"
I patted her shoulder and smiled at her comfortingly.
"It's for your own good. Nobody should dismiss their health, especially with how easy it is to get sick in our circumstances. Now, go. And if Physicians think you are sick, maybe it will turn out to be the reason for *my* problems."
Undecided nodded glumly and left, pointing out a few most talented Oracles for before leaving.
Knowing that I didn't have much ti before my bath was ready, I went to talk with them.
"My dear girls, do you have so prophecy that will clear your Father's head from worry? Or at least let him put a finger on it…"
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