Xicackna wiggled between her mother's paws, surprised to be told what was hidden from the rest of the hive.

Apparently, the food shortage was half artificial. Indeed, the queen had unique ways of expanding the hive's resources. Quests completed by her subjects not only gave her XP, but also dungeon coins: a currency she could spend to open a door to a hunting ground.

Similar to the dungeon, this strange place with invisible boundaries was teeming with prey and plant resources to feed the hive.

"What is a currency?" asked Xicackna.

Xa-tar-Lona's body shook as she suppressed a burst of laughter, then she fixed her caring gaze on the little princess.

"It’s true: you’ve probably never heard of money. It's been quite a while since we last used one."

"You can explain to me?"

"Of course... So... Do you know that sometimes hives exchange products? Often, we exchange a product for another that we need. But, sometimes, the hive that requests the exchange has nothing that could interest the other. Currency, or “money” is a resource without real value, but a fictitious one fixed by agreements between hives. Thus, the hive which acquires currency in exchange for its resources can later exchange it with another hive for the resources that interest it."

"Oh? It's convenient!"

"Yes. Dungeon coins work in much the same way. I acquire them through quests and thanks to the harvests of various resources by the workers. I can then use it on a sort of System market to buy various things. Objects, precise quantities of resources, access time to the hunting ground... There is even the possibility of opening the passage for our troops to the human world! But it is very expensive."

Relief and incomprehension invaded Xicackna's mind together. So, there were ways to leave this prison that was the Dungeon! And even as prisoners, they could obtain many resources allowing the survival of the hive... But why did the queen and her council hide this from the rest of the hive?

"Why am I hiding this? Oh, some people know, of course. Hunting teams for example. However, the more people who ignore it and despair, pining for more resources and freedom, the more easily we can get out of this. Currently, further reinforced by the very regrettable loss of one of our outposts, the gauge of desire for freedom continues to fill... This is one of the parameters of the hive of which the System give me the information. Once it is completely filled, one of the doors will turn red and our armies will be able to cross it to confront the enemy! And without spending a single dungeon coin. I prefer to keep them for the moment in order to buy expansions of the Dungeon."

"I understand."

"When the door opens, you will join the fight too. Don't take any risks: if the assault fails, retreat and come back here. The information you will have obtained about the Human world will allow us to succeed in the next attack."

The princess shivered, dreading meeting the monsters again. She rather wanted to stay in the palace and not leave it for a few months, but the hive came first.

"Come on, don’t make that face: it’s going to be fine. You stay close to the door and if the assault fails, you go back through it. Normally, you shouldn't even approach the slightest monster... But in the meantime, I have a little idea to distract you: why don't you join a hunting team? There isn't much danger...at least the hunters won't let you approach dangerous areas. Bring Xafara, Xorpha and Xilofane with you: they need a little exercise."

Placed on the ground, Xicackna felt herself leaving the maternal embrace with regret. She left the council in full discussion regarding plans for the future attack and headed towards the princess quarters.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

She had barely left the room when she fell to the ground, jostled by a fuzzy red-colored mass. Her body shook multiple times, as an excited voice called out to her:

"It's awesome! We're sent on a mission together! I've been waiting to do something for sooooo long!"

As her sense of vision stabilized again, Xicackna looked sternly at the beaming face of Xafara: a princess younger than her by almost two years, but already having reached a level 8.

"What? Were you eavesdropping on the conversation?"

"Ah... a little... But I'm sure Mother knew that! She forbade me to go to the front. I'm not even allowed to leave the palace on the pretext that I would be too reckless and impulsive... It's somewhat true, but monsters don't scare me! I can knock out a lot of them: they're not that much bigger than us."

Xicackna sighed. This little sister would probably never change. The day she became a queen, we could already imagine the aggressive hive she would give birth to. It was not for nothing that her class was “Barbarian”: a category that valued physical violence. The queen herself had great difficulty channeling this excited one. At least on the hunting ground she could have fun without risking getting killed by the monsters.

"Okay, okay… We have to go get Xorpha and Xilofane first."

"Well, I can already hear their recriminations: we should leave them there... But hey, Mother's order..."

A mischievous smile formed on the little barbarian's face. She slammed her fist into her other hand with violent determination.

"Come on, let’s drag them out of their rooms!"

Xorpha's room was empty of useful items. Hangings and cushions were piled up on the floor and walls, while in the air numerous thick canvases formed countless hammocks. Luckily, Xorpha was asleep in one of the lowest ones. Although almost an adult, Xorpha was an exception among princesses in that she did not take her responsibilities to heart. She preferred to spend her time dreaming rather than playing or working. With her level 5 and her lack of class, she was probably the least useful of the princesses. She claimed to be trying to develop a rare class with sleep-related powers, but no one believed it.

"Get up you!"

Merciless, Xafara had pushed Xorpha with all her might, tearing her from her hammock and sending her crashing onto cushions located much further away in the room. As she lay limp after a simple grunt of protest, Xicackna gave the barbarian a hand to drag their big sister out of the room.

"Hey," she finally protested, "leave me alone!"

"We have a mission to accomplish and you're coming with us!"

"Yes," added Xafara, "and I'll kick your abdomen right there if you don't move on your own!"

Xorpha glared at the barbarian but followed them, dragging her paws. She moved on all her feet, but she managed to stay slower than the other two princesses.

They stopped in front of Xilofane's room. It was closed by a door made of a thicker than average amber[1] alloy and Xafara opened it with a merciless crash.

This room was more furnished than the previous one. Passionate about sounds, the princess who occupied it had multiple instruments capable of producing varied sounds. Numerous chimes oscillated gently in the air, animated by a gentle wind produced by a strange machine. The sudden opening of the room had disrupted the harmony that the little princess appreciated and she turned furiously towards Xafara:

"Get out, Xafara! I already said I didn't want to play with you! You spend your time shouting and breaking things! Get out of my room or I'll tell Mother!"

"Go ahead!"

Furious, Xilofane rushed towards the door. Although older than Xafara, she had a growth problem that made her the smallest of the group. Xicackna found out that she was level 7 and her class was “Musician”. She didn't know what use such class could have, but that didn't stop the little princess from being ready to fight with the barbarian who, with a provocative smile, blocked her way. Xicackna intervened between them:

"We are here by order of Xa-tar-Lona for a mission and you are coming with us… And you, Xafara, stop annoying her: we are supposed to have a good time with this hunting mission, not argue!"

"Everyone has their own definition of a good time then."

Xicackna clenched her fist and her teeth as she tried to calm herself. She had forgotten how annoying some of her sisters were. At least the mention of their Mother by name had given a solemn quality to her words, which had calmed Xilofane. Grabbing a small bag filled with her musical instruments, she set off, ignoring Xafara's mockery about the usefulness of her load.

"What are you going to do with this? Charm prey on the hunting ground?"

The world had become so strange that it didn't seem as improbable as Xafara implied.

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[1] The technological mastery of amber by the Zcarbbs is very advanced. Depending on the resins used and mixed with each other and with other substances, they can produce materials with variable properties...