I swiftly but carefully tore a hole in the thin outer wall of the honeycomb cell and pulled it open.
From inside, a pair of wet hands reached out, as if silently asking for help. I imdiately took them and helped my youngest daughter climb out.
My heart broke at the sight of her. She was pale, thin, and could barely stand upright without my support.
〔Cleaning Bee〕 〔Ally〕 〔Progeny〕
〔Health〕: 11 / 22
〔Stamina〕: 16 / 21
〔Species〕: Common Honey Bee
〔Age〕: 18 d
〔Remaining lifespan〕: 148 d
〔Attributes〕
> Strength: 20
> Agility: 40
> Endurance: 19
> Defense: 19
> Intelligence: 100
> Perception: 43
〔Special abilities〕
Flight, Barbed Stinger
〔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
〔〕〔〕〔〕
But worst of all, my daughter was only at half health!
All the Nurse Bees nearby looked aghast at the sight. In a blink of an eye, there was an entire crowd of them nearby.
"Sister, you look awful—you should dry off quickly!"
"Put on these clothings, they will warm you up!"
"Eat so pollen bread, you need to put at on your bones!"
"I will fly and bring fresh pollen porridge from the kitchen. She looks like she needs hot food!"
The young bee sat on the floor of her brood cell, staring blankly at all the fretting Nurse Bees. She took the items given to her, but clearly was too shocked or tired to do anything with them.
"Nurses, be quieter! Our daughter is clearly overwheld. Instead, check if there are any more pupae who are too weak to get out of their cells!" Ambrosia commanded, waving most of the Nurses away. "You and you—stay and help your sister."
I nodded, approving her decision. The space imdiately beca quieter, and the young bee looked much less overwheld.
As the Nurses cleaned their young sister with leaves, fed her so pollen porridge, and helped her put on a leather skirt and tunic, I sat on the edge of an empty brood cell nearby and thought hard.
I was trying to understand what was wrong with her.
My young daughter looked so miserable… Her eyes sunk in her face, making them look even bigger and sadder. She seed malnourished, but all larvae were fed equally before they turned into pupae!
It was as if a vampire sucked out her life force.
"If this is a sickness, both these Nurses and this bee will have to go to the quarantine," Ambrosia said, sitting down next to . "Do you think this could be anything else, Nectus?"
"It really looks like so didn't put enough food in her brood cell before it was closed, Amby… But I know it's impossible. Not on your watch! It has to be an illness—but how is it transmitted?"
"With those invisible creatures you told us about, microbes? Through air she breathes or things she touches…"
"Well, yes. That's how illnesses transfer in general. But… If it just transferred through air and infected everybody without difference, half the hive would've been sick, not just a single pupa. Or… several pupae."
I swallowed a lump in my throat and looked to the side.
There, a group of Nurse Bees were checking closed brood cells. They flew over several, then paused at one.
After a mont, they began tearing it open and helping the young bee inside get out.
〔Cleaning Bee〕 〔Ally〕 〔Progeny〕
〔Health〕: 9 / 22
She was even worse off than her sister!
Ambrosia followed my gaze and put a heart over her chest.
"An unknown illness attacks the brood… It's worse than if it attacked adult bees. Adult bees die all the ti, but young ones take their place. But if there are no young ones, what will happen to the colony itself?"
I turned around, pinning her with a sharp look.
My first reaction was sothing like, 'How can you speak like you don't care if our daughters die as long as they are adults!'.
However, when I saw Ambrosia's deep frown, I understood. Maybe it was sothing I needed 121 intelligence for.
Although she spoke coldly, the truth was—Ambrosia cared!
But being herself, she couldn't care freely. She had to give all her cares a logical reason. Right now, and probably in the past—it put so many monts into perspective.
And I was sure that if I said, "Hey, Amby, it's alright to feel sad and even cry. You are a girl, you won't even be bullied for not being a macho manly man when crying!" she'd just say I was talking insane things again.
So instead, I reached out and brought her into a half-hug.
"It will be alright, Amby. We will be thorough, find the reason for this affliction, and a solution for it! It won't be mysterious anymore."
The frown on Ambrosia's face smoothened.
"You are just spouting nonsense to cheer up, don't you?" She didn't smile, but she *sounded* smiling.
"Not at all! I swear by it! Cross my heart and hope not to die!"
She turned away from . I leaned over to see her face…
She *was* smiling! Just a little bit. Now I was grinning myself.
"How silly… Instead of talking, we should actually investigate."
I nodded, but not before I pecked her cheek.
"Of course, Amby. You talk with the Nurses, and I will examine the ill bees again. Their brood cells, too, before they are cleaned—there might be a hint. We will have to quarantine sick bees, too… From other sick bees as well."
"It will be best to build a separate hospital."
"Good idea. Send soone to Things-Things with the order, Amby. Also, we should send a ssage to the Hive Hornet's Nest, ask them if they have the sa problem."
In the next couple hours, I examined the sick bees and their brood cells—but found nothing.
I had no idea what sort of illness could've done this.
And there weren't just two or three bees sick in this brood.
There were 93 sick bees!
At least, there was so good news.
The first of my princesses succeeded.
But when I opened my empire's status to see what was going with my developnt points, what I saw just made my heart sink!
Reviews
All reviews (0)