NOVEL WEB Chapter 32: Responsibility
| [Status] | ||
| Name: N/D | Species: Solitary honeybee | |
| Level: 1 | Class: Royal cook | Mana: 0.05/1.25 |
| + Information | ||
'Damn, to create just this drop he used all the mana he has, it seems to be a type of food made especially for the workers, but a single Cooker would not be able to maintain constant production for the needs of the colony..'
"This jelly looks very good! It's a shame you guys can't keep up a constant production..."
"Sorry Mom, we can increase our production as we level up, but until then we can only produce hight amounts of ordinary royal jelly"
"Oh, I wasn't mad at you guys, you can rest assured, I know that asking you guys to create large quantities of special jelly would be asking too much of drones that have just been born."
"..Thanks."
"One question. Do you think you could speed up production a little bit if you had some way to restore your MP?"
"Yes? Maybe? When we produce this special jelly we use the liquid produced by our glands and a lot of MP in the mix, I would say that 50% of resources, 15% of the gland and 35% of MP, so if we had more Mp we could produce a larger amount per day!"
"That's good! Some time ago the boys found a fruit capable of restoring MP, do you think you could use it to recover your MP?"
"Hmm, a fruit would be difficult... Our bodies weren't made to consume things other than honey and sweets, but we could use the juice of the fruit to try to create a kinde of 'honey'!"
"Yes! The ideal wasy of making this would be to produce honey directly with the nectar of the flowers of this fruit, but if the effect is only on the fruit or if there are no flowers we can use this method!"
"Wow, I didn't know we could do that, doesn't that mean it's really hard for us to run out of food?"
"I wouldn't say that... Nectar is much easier to work with, we can make a conversion from 2 to 1, while fruit juice or other sweet liquids would be something around 7 to 1 or even more, depending on the resourse.."
"Hmm, I understand I will ask the scouts to try to find more of these fruits, preferably branches full of flowers."
"Thank you mom! Now what would be our task?"
"Wait a minute!"
Leaving the cookers behind I fly to the depot and grab a piece of honey, quickly returning to the 'kitchen' and handing the piece to them.
"Do you think you guys can produce something similar?"
The cooks analyzed the piece of honey for a few intants, smelled and 'tasted' as if they were thinking about the best way to produce this honey.
"Yes mother! I don't think we can achieve something exactly the same, but we can create a 'gelatin' with even better nutritional values and that has a high longevity!"
"Yes! Yeah! We only will not be able to reperoduce the 'hard' texture of this food, ours version would still be a liquid, just a little more consistent and gelatinous, but other than that we can improve all the other qualities of this ration!"
'Hmm, so they can't produce the pieces of honey directly, but they still quickly found a worthy 'substitute', I think it doesn't matter if it's a liquid, if the nutritional value is even higher than these pieces of honey then it's already worth it'
"Very well then! Boys I want you to produce the maximun of food you can, rest a little before you start, but soon as you guys start the job I give you full command over the 'kitchen', you can ask the workers to change it according to your needs and you can ask the workers or soldiers to help you guys to move around"
"Thank you mom!"
"We will not disappoint you!"
"And finally, since you are my first cooks, I will give you guys a name."
'And now, what do I do? The 2 look exactly the same, the one on the right is more 'conservative' and the one on the left is more 'innovative'. So what? Matching names? Opposite names?'
"...Jay and Ray, those will be yours names, the royal cooks, whenever you have any problems talk to me or Steve, we will try his best to help you"
"Thank you mom!"
"Me too! We will work hard to make sure no one goes hungry!"
"Hum"
Leaving the cooks aside I went to Steve and warned him about the new cooks, making it very clear that if they asked for changes in the 'kitchen' this should be a higher priority, since from now on I would stop devoting myself to create only food and leave most of this job to the cooks.
The time to lay more eggs had come , the new workers had already hatched, and went out to do their job, the new soldiers too, they were just like the 'wild' soldiers but they still took the job seriously, now I was just waiting for the [beacons] and the [Colectors] who hadn't even hatched yet, and now I had about 50 + breeding units that I could use, something I realized about breeding was that the story of 'the more useful, the more time it takes' was false, the cooks is the greatest example for sure, they were extremely helpful and even l had MP, and yet they had a creation time similar to that of an ordinary worker, so what interfered with the creation time? Were cooks born quickly just because they were weak as hell? Or does it have something to do with them not having wings? How?.... What is the reason?...
"Mom we were talking and we thought that producing a lot of collectors and cooks would be ideal! The cooks were able to maximize our food and the colectors can help with the job of keeping the tanks full!"
"Really? I thought of some more soldiers now.."
"Yes! But without food it is useless! So producing a big wave of units tha can produce food is the ideal for now! So the next batches can be only of soldiers!"
"Hmm... I think it works, soon we will need a separate kitchen too, and exclusive super honey tanks for honey, and tanks exclusively for royal jelly."
"AHHH, the closer I think I am to doing my dream lab, the more things appear to be done!"
"The workers couldn't finish your lab?"
"No... I gave the order to focus on the dorm, and the place as left only 40~% complete... I think after this new wave, I'll create a few more workers just to focus on my lab."
"You're the boss!"
After we made the plans I started laying eggs again, about 30 collectors and 20 cooks, so we could feed the colony easily and without my help. And in for the free space that have left in the nursery, i layed a bunch of workers how later would do the job of being my 'assistants'.
When I finished work I was hit with an overwhelming hunger and a familiar message.
| [Warning] |
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The [Egg laying] skill has reached Lv4! You have unlocked the new laying option to choose. |
| {Laying options} |
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[Hive Bard Bee] |
Masters of bee communication, Hive Bards use rhythmic buzzing and harmonic vibrations to create auras that inspire and uplift their hive. Their melodies can enhance productivity, boost morale, and even provide a calming influence during stressful times. |
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[Propolis shaper Bee] |
Propolis shaper Bee specialize in collecting and using propolis to fortify and seal the hive. They play a crucial role in hive defense and maintenance. |
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[Silk Weaver Bee] |
Silk Weavers produce fine silk threads from various materials, contributing to hive construction and crafting. |
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[Crystalizer Bee] |
Crystalizer Bees have the unique ability to crystallize nectar, forming valuable crystals with diverse applications. |
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[Lancer Bee] |
Lancer bees possess a highly resistant and sharp stinger, and possess the special ability to break their stingers to use as weapons. They can also regenerate the stinger over time. |
| [Warning] |
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You can choose 2 new posture potions |
'Wow, these options are... unique? There is nothing how looks usefull as the [Beacons] or [real cooks], but there are still intriguing options, like [Bard], [Weaver] and [Crystalizer]. It's nice to know that to get the Class of [Lancer] I don't need to wait for a soldier bee to evolve, I can choose to lay them directly as [Lancer] since birth, so for sure [lancer] is out of choice here, I don't know if all Lancers would be strong as Hans, but I believe not, Hans get several skills as [Soldier] and get a great improvement when he had evolved, these [Lancer] since birth should not be so powerful like a bee that evolveld to be a [Lancer].'
So what can a [Bard] do? Is just some kind of class to 'cheer up' others bees or does it have buff and debuffs functions? Like the 'battle' bards in the RPG re Games? They could go to fights and increase the damage of allies and weaken the damage of attackers?
'No... The description of these bards says that they are kind of "cheerleaders" for the hive, they are not supposed to be fighters... But nothing prevents them from evolving into a combat Bard class later.'
Even if they is not a combatant unit, having a troop capable of boosting morale is still good, but I don't really need morale, the bees are already blindly loyal to me, I have no reason to 'make them more loyal', but I think they would be very happy to have someone to cheer them up, they could even make an audience to listen to some 'music' from the bards.
'These [Propolis] seem to grant me a new kind of building material, the propolis could be used to seal the walls and 'sterilise' areas like the nursery and kitchen, I could even use this propolis as a new potion ingredient.."
'Are these [Weavers] some kind of evolutions of the [Silk larvae]? Because it seems to be too coincidental for them to appear like this, but honestly, bees that produce silk? We are one step away from becoming spiders! But for sure it could be very useful, if I didn't have other options like the cooks and the beacons in the last choice I would have chosen the Silk larvae, because after all, having a way to produce ropes and fabric is very useful in one way or another, I can create cloth filters, ropes to tie pots, Sail Pavilion, and the workers could use a totally new material for the construction.'
'These [crystalizer] are the mysterious ones... Are the crystals they can produce like honey flakes? Because if it is, it's useless to me, but if it's something totally new? If it is some super important building material? What if they manage to crystallize royal jelly?!'
I ended up going to Steve again to ask him, when it came to planning up for the future Steve knew what to do he could always say what would be best for the hive.
"Steve!"
"Hello Mom, what do you need?"
"I got another level in laying eggs! Let me show you.."
After explaining the options to Steve he also began to think seriously about the options, as if evaluating the use of each one.
"I.. I seriously think you should choose [Bards] and [silk], they can be very useful for the whole colony!"
"I also thought the [Silk] would be very helpful, but how could a [Bard] help?"
"They can strengthen the entire hive Mother, I think they could grant bonus effects to everyone in the colony, it would be very usefull, and from time to time the bards could cheer up the workers!"
"I understand, so I will choose the Bards and the silk producers, soon as the new cooks emerge I will create some of them."
"Thank you mom!"
"I thank you for your help Steve, How is the construction of the new dormitory?"
"Excellent mother! The new workers have been a great help, and we anticipate that by tomorrow all of the dormitories, and the lunchroom will be 60% at leastcomplete!"
"What about the cooks? Did they ask for anything?"
"Yes! They ordered the construction of a fully dedicated kitchen for themselfs! With an access to the honey tanks and large barrels to store royal jelly!"
"I see, so what have you done about it?"
"We asked them to wait until the dormitories were finished, and we gave them Carl's group and more 5 workers to help modify the current room they have, and as well help them with food production."
"This will do! Thanks so much for the hard work Steve!"
"This is nothing mom!"
| [Warning] |
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You had evolved into the Lv 5 |
What? Where is it?! Where is my evolution?! What do this mean?! That i don't evolve?! Wasn't it Level 5?!
One day had already passed, the workers were working like crazy to build the new dormitory, and Matt's group was overwhelmed with the work of collecting nectar. 6 workers bees and 2 collectors were not even close to enough to keep up with the demand of 2 cooks, so much that I had to send 20 bees of Levi's group to Matt, leaving the construction group with less manpower, Levi said that there were no problems, since the construction of the dorm was close to finishing, and assured me that by the end of the day the workers would have comfortable places to sleep.
During this time the soldiers attacked and killed everything that came close and was weaker than them. We had the visit of some larger and more dangerous insects, but when these insects saw several angry bees running up to them, they ended up fleeing without a trait.
With this I got some Xp from the soldiers and the workers who polonized when colecting nectar, and finally I got Level 5, but to my surprise, I didn't evolve.
'Can't I evolve? Will it be that by being a queen I am already in the 'final form'? But this is nonsense! I have seen several insects that did not have powerful [Classes] but had very strange [species] names! So there must be a way to evolve my species, maybe not with levels? But if not with levels then how do I evolve my species? Maybe eating something strange and powerful? Or do I need an 'evolution stone'? Like those pokemons that don't evolve by levels?!'
'No, I'm getting too desperate, damn [Concerned player], maybe because I'm a queen I need more levels to climb up? And if I evolve my [species] what happens to the whole colony? Do they change species with me? Or do I need to create new troops to have bees of the same species as me?'
"Damn it! Why doesn't this fucking system tell me anything?!! Some information would be welcome!"
"If I meet the inventor of this shitty system I swear by the hair on my mane that I will punch him or her in the-"
'Mom... Trevis... Danger... Humans...'
"What!?!"
Steve sent me a mental message, since Trevis couldn't do that, and from the looks of it Trevis found the humans I asked him to find.
After running up to Steve I see him from the side of the tall Trevis, the 2 are just waiting for me and don't look as nervous as I do.
"Steve, Trevis! What happened?! Where are the humans?!"
"M-Mom, I found the 'humans' you asked for, far in the north, behind the mountains, 2 hour or 3 afar from here, they seem to be settling down near the river, they were making some tents and... Bonfires."
"So these humans are making a home here? How dangerous are they?"
"Very dangerous, they carry torches and set fire to some trees, they are very dangerous and we must keep our distance!"
'There we go again, they've seen the fire and they're already scared to death.'
"Can you describe them? And can you tell me their number?"
"Well.. They are around 30, they are very thin and appeared dejected, most of them seemed injured, those 'humans' walk on 2 legs, have 2 arms and are very huge, I would say that the average height is 2 meters, their body are covered by hair of varied colors and they have features like wolves or canines!"
'Human/Wolves? So they're not humans they're werewolves, or Beastmen, I don't know maybe they have other names."
I knew that there could be creatures other than humans in this world, but it is still a surprise to find other intelligent beings besides humans, does this mean that this world is colonized by werewolves? Or are there other intelligent creatures out there?
"Werewolves? I understand, so I'll call them that! Do you think we should worry about them?"
"No! They're too far away to be a problem, and I don't think they're going to survive anyway."
"W-What do you mean, they won't survive?"
"Many of them are injured, and the whole group is very weak, I managed to find them after tracking a trail of the smell of Blood, other monsters will soon come out of the forest to eat them! We don't have to care about them!"
Trevis said such scary things without even shaking, and Steve didn't seem bothered either, these wolves were living beings, they were probably running away from something to end up here in such a miserable state, but my children only saw them as a nuisance.
"T-this is cruel... We know they are there, and that they are in great danger, but we won't do anything about it?"
"Huh? They are not our brothers, we don't owe them nothing, and we should not get involved with creatures that can late harm us!"
'Are they right? I shouldn't give my hand to a wolf that can bite me later, but letting them die also seems very wrong, of course I'm a little bee, what could I do to help a whole group of people? Even if I found a way to make a royal jelly with healing effects that are not limited by [species] how would I create enough jelly for each of them? Trevis said that most were injured, I would need whole days to produce enough jam for only 2-3 of them, and if I used my resources with them my colony would starve, I owe nothing to these strangers. And yet I feel so bad knowing that they could die at any time.'
'Damn it! I should have kept quiet and made Trevis go after something else, so I'd never know about these guys, and by the time I found out they would already be dead a long time ago, time enough for me don't feel bad about them!'
"...Trevis! I have an ultra important and dangerous mission for you!"
"H-Huh? W-Whatever mother wishes!.."
"I want you to fly to the poison forest in the south, and find [Tears of the saint] a white flower like a bell and golden details, with emerald green leaves that grow in that forest!"
"I will gladly go if that is your request, But if you allow my ignorance, May I know why mother desire this flower?"
"I.. I think we can help these beast men up north! Even if it we had nothing to do with them, I can't just accept letting them die like this!"
"...I understand... If this is your wish what should I do after finding the flowers?"
"I want that.. what.. You bring them here! Take Scouts, soldiers, workers if you have to, tear it off the ground and bring the flower alive! As many of these flowers as you can find!"
"I understand, I will go immediately!"
Trevis soon left like a bolt of lightning towards the south, maybe he didn't agree with me, but he accepted my choices because I was the Queen, but I can't help but want to help these people, maybe it's just me trying to hold on to the humanity I have left, but not doing anything when you know the risk, and the same as pushing them towards death.
"What do you think, Steve? Am I stupid for worrying about people who aren't even my own kids?"
"Maybe.. But I think it makes you a good mother, the ability to care about someone doesn't seem to be for just anyone... So don't feel bad that you think your choices were harmful to the hive, I'd be the first to speak up if you put our lives at risk!"
"Ha, ha, thanks Steve, I hope it's true, even if this idea doesn't work out I still feel much better, if those poor people starve to death or succumb to their wounds at least I would know that I tried to help them."