〔Moth〕
〔Health〕: 29 / 29
〔Stamina〕: 31 / 31
〔Species〕: Pygmy Death's Head Hawkmoth
〔Age〕: 78 d
〔Remaining lifespan〕: 2842 d
〔Attributes〕
> Strength: 25
> Agility: 24
> Endurance: 29
> Defense: 28
> Intelligence: 10
> Perception: 45
〔Special abilities〕
Enhanced Intelligence I, Fearso Visage I, Increased Fertility IV, Faster Youth Developnt III, Adjacent Pheromone Detection, Specialized Scent Mimicry (Bees), Hypnotizing Pheromone IX, Asexual Reproduction, Claws I, Olfactory Perception VII, Dark Vision
〔〕〔〕〔〕
It'd be almost insulting how weak this creature was. It felt like the God of Death's Head Hawkmoths put all his points into this moth's hypnosis…
Which would've worked perfectly on anyone else, but it really was a waste on soone with so little intelligence. Or so little in other stats.
Although I knew regular hawkmoths were much larger. They had wingspan of up to 15 centiters—way larger than a bee. And a hawkmoth was featured on the poster of the 'Silence of the Lambs' movie, which made them sowhat famous!
As I made another step closer with my candle, I saw this moth had the exact coloring that gave it its fearso na. On its wings were spots which, if it spread them wider, would've looked similar to a skull.
Coloring like that made predators think the moth was looking at them even when it wasn't, which made them hesitate to attack.
But all this was for show. The moth was harmless and didn't even try to attack even now.
She just sat there, clutching a pot of honey and covering her eyes, despite not even being tied up!
'How pitiful,' I thought, reaching out with my telepathy to listen to her thoughts.
'Too bright, still too bright! More bees—this one doesn't sll like honey. I want to leave.'
Thoughts fit for soone with 10 intelligence. I stepped back and covered the candle with my hand, which imdiately made the moth relax a little.
She was a nocturnal creature, so no wonder that this candlelight in an otherwise dark room made it uncomfortable.
She was also stupid enough that I was convinced that she didn't even realize why bees weren't attacking her. Or that she was currently in danger.
'What do you think, Father?' Tabletina asked telepathically. 'We didn't dare to touch the creature without your permission, but I tried to question her telepathically. She's entirely clueless. My suggestion—give her to , and I will try to understand how she works, and if we can use the hypnosis pheromones of these insects for our own purposes.'
I frowned thoughtfully.
'Using them for our own purposes? Hm… I don't think there will be much use from a dead moth. If only we could evolve these traits… I imagine there's a long evolutionary trait tree to them.'
Now that their secret was uncovered, the simplest solution was to kill this one.
Then I had to order a check of all the Empire's sub-hives in order to find any more freeloading moths. However, as long as all they did was eat our honey, they weren't a danger.
How much honey could they eat, compared to all the bees, anyway?
We had plenty for everyone! Our fields of seeds were blooming and producing nectar. Although the first fields were for the wild, unevolved bees, now we had so for us, too. And it had a twofold profit, since eventually these flowers will beco vegetables.
And there were wildflowers as well.
I saw Tabletina eying curiously, but not speaking up.
"I think we should keep this moth alive for now," I said aloud. "She's stupid, but not more stupid than so of the feathered lizards we've tad. Perhaps her pheromones will let us ta other creatures easier. Or it can spy on others… We will see!"
"Alive… as you want, Father," Tabletina asked, looking disappointed.
"Ah, don't be so sad. I want so of your Physicians visit the sub-hives under the pretense of an extra health check up and search for more intruders. Capture them all, but keep one for an autopsy. As for this one—I will pass this project to the beast-taming departnt."
"Yes, Father," Tabletina replied, looking more cheerful.
The moth ignored our voices and returned to eating her honey. I eyed her fur-covered face for another mont, then turned away.
"Let's go. I want the best beast tars on that."
***
Even the Bee Empire's beast tars were used to lizards and dragons, not to insects. We didn't ta other insects—we killed them!
But none of them hesitated when I explained to them their task—trying to ta the freeloading hawkmoth.
"Do you think this will work out?" I asked Undecided a little later.
We were in the Council Chambers, waiting for the rest of the Advisers to co. Besides us, the only people present were Attendants setting up the large table and Ambrosia who lounged in her cushioned chair.
Undecided nodded.
"Yes… This will definitely be useful in the future. But the 'how' is blurry. There are many dreams… Too many again." She smiled. "After the hypnosis wore off, my dreams beca full of troubles again. Not for the hive! But I'm glad to dream clearly again. This ans that I can actually be useful."
"The world doesn't start and end with usefulness, Undecided," Ambrosia reminded sternly from her place.
I raised my eyebrows, surprised to hear sothing so impractical from her.
"Mother-Queen?" Undecided asked, looking as surprised as I was.
Ambrosia sent a mischievous look. Was she reading my thoughts without the actual ability to read my thoughts?
"Usefulness is short-sighted," Ambrosia said. "While most of my daughters don't need to think about anything else, Oracles are born to think about the future. So you might think about this when you aren't ditating about your dreams."
Undecided was struck speechless. She nodded.
Before our conversation could continue, the Advisers finally began to enter the Council Chamber, and all of us returned to business.
And the first report of the day was proudly shown to not on a wax tablet, but on a sheet of paper.
"Father, the paper-maker is almost complete. We are almost ready to mass-produce them!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)