"I want my na to be Bloodhero! It's the most fitting, since all Warrior Bees are heroes and there's always blood." Military Adviser exclaid.
I blinked.
"Huh?"
"My na should be 'Researchina'. It's the most fitting, too. I'm sure you understand why, Father," the Science Adviser said.
"Things-Things. That will be . Like 'things', but twice!"
"I want to be called Workharder, so whenever soone sees , they think 'this is Workharder' and rember to work harder."
"I've already approved these nas. They are easy to rember and very telling," Ambrosia said. "But I'm satisfied with the one I have right now."
I stared at my bees, utterly stupefied. They looked back at with hopeful expressions—except for the Science Adviser. The Science Adviser stood like she didn't need my approval at all.
Several seconds passed like this while I sorted out my emotions. Finally…
"Yes! These are absolutely aweso nas! Of course I approve, Bloodhero, Researchina, Workharder, Things-Things!" I reached out to rub the heads of all four girls at once.
Researchina stepped away from .
I let the hand drop.
"Alright… So what was it about ants, Bloodhero?"
"The legionary ants are winning—but their losses are so high that there's less than a quarter of them left! I've already been preparing a team that will finish the remaining ones. With spears and throwing rocks, we can kill them without giving the ants a chance to fight back!"
"Great work. Kill them all before they even try to get to our hive!"
***
I didn't see the carnage, but after I got the report from Bloodhero, the system congratulated for it.
〔Grand Strategist〕: 20% to base intelligence.
'Incredible… Finally, this is official. I'm a Grand Strategist! It's big brain ti, baby!'
I gleefully switched the title on and tried to feel for any difference—but there wasn't anything.
'Huh… Let check my status.'
〔Drone Bee〕
〔Na〕: Nectus Stingprince
〔Active title〕: Grand Strategist
〔Health〕: 33 / 36
〔Stamina〕: 32 / 32
〔Attribute points〕: 0
〔Species〕: Common Honey Bee
〔Age〕: 152 d
〔Remaining lifespan〕: 39 d
〔Attributes〕
> Strength: 22
> Agility: 41
> Endurance: 30
> Defense: 22
> Intelligence: 120
> Perception: 43
〔Special abilities〕
Flight, Horizontal Gene Transfer, Vertical Gene Transfer
〔Titles〕
Drone-Consort, Holand Protector, Grand Strategist
〔Genes〕
Enhanced Intelligence X, Technology: Primitive Containers, Increased Lifespan II, Fast Learner I, Enhanced Endurance II, Danger-Averse Reflexes, Venom Resistance I, Heat Resistance I, Enhanced Strength II, Enhanced Defense II, at Digestion, Increased Fertility II, Faster Regeneration II, Faster Youth Developnt I
〔〕〔〕〔〕
'Maybe "Nectus Stingprince" is not such a great na… Stingprince. Isn't that just banal as well? Full edgelord, really. And to even think about the other bees…'
I gasped at my own thoughts and shook my head. If soone saw now, they'd probably think I was acting weird again.
I grabbed my head.
But *wasn't* I acting weird right now?
'Sitting alone in your room, thinking all these thoughts when I could've been out there, say, spending ti with Ambrosia and Pollenia? Shouldn't you be using this intelligence to improve administration of the hive, or to invent more technologies? You are wasting your ti,' my thoughts needled at .
"Oh my god," I whispered. "Being smart is terrible. Even my Research Bees only have 10 extra intelligence…"
'And you only have 39 days of lifespan to waste. anwhile, your colony is still stuck at 149 developnt points, even if its literacy improves daily.'
This was so true. I was getting old. Any day there could be gray hairs on my head!
I thought this creek in my neck this morning was from sleeping in a wrong pose, but what if it was from *old age*?!
"Noooo, I can't think this way. I can't let smart thoughts defeat ! Even if they are right…"
"Father? Are you alright?" a voice from outside made jump. Soone was hovering outside of the wax flap of my room.
I quickly switched the title back to the 'Holand Protector' one. Imdiately, it was like a cool, fresh cotton blanket fell over my thoughts.
"Who's there? Ah, it's just you, Researchina… I'm fine, I'm fine now!"
'Fucking hell… I almost had an anxiety attack just now. What a dangerous power. I must learn to control it if I want to use it to the fullest.'
"Father, are you free? The Research Bees need your advice on sothing interesting we've found."
I gladly took the distraction.
***
The Research Workshop t with sounds of loud voices and things hitting other things. In just the first room of the workshop, a dozen bees were arguing over so strewn around junk; in another, bees tried to do sothing with a clump of… dirt?
An acrid stench of sothing animal-like was in the air, mixed with the normal slls of bees and honey.
"I sll that leather-tanning is happening," I said, grimacing.
"Yes, but it's taking a while, Father, as I've reported already," Researchina said. "Our first experints failed. We think we hadn't been soaking the hides in piss long enough, so I've ordered to leave the current batch for longer. But away from here. They stink. In the anti, we work on other technologies you've pointed us at, like the slings and bows."
I nodded and followed Researchina to the dirt-digging one.
"Here, Father. So Material Foragers found interesting soft rock outside that can be shaped into things! We've already tried to make jars out of it instead of wax. However, they aren't waterproof… I wonder if it can still be used for sothing else."
I looked closer at the dirt clump, and my eyebrows rose.
"This is clay! It's great—you can make waterproof and fireproof containers. But for that, you must bake them in an oven. Very carefully, or clay will just crack. I think… I think the temperature should be even all over? And the clay must dry first!"
The Research Bees were listening intently. One even scribbled sothing on a wax table.
"If we have pottery, perhaps we can even cook proper porridge… Anyway, let try sketching an oven for you."
I spent the rest of the day with the Researcher Bees, turning my Grand Strategist title on an and off. To train my ntal fortitude, and to get the most out of my intelligence.
And next day, I was finally told that all the aphids were moved to their new ho. I had to explain how to keep them for food!
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