After the incident, our security measures were intensified.
The full program.
Guardians, on all sides, especially at the front near the human knights, numerous workers, and ridiculous numbers of hunters.
While I understand it, I can't help but feel it was too much when we close in on the first village to be our resting place.
Since I knew that we'd arrive somewhere around this time I started looking out of the window.
Honiu on the other side only occasionally glances out anymore, as the surface lost its novelty over time for her.
Which made the trip a bit more unpleasant, because a bored Honiu is a moody Honiu who lets it out on everyone else.
"Soon. Just a little longer." (E)
(H)
Wait, did we all week avoid remaining at the surface before sunset?
"Ehk, it will be night then. It's going to be much darker here, which shouldn't be an issue for us." (E)
After all, our eyes are made to adjust to the darkness of the underground.
"But also the temperature will drop, my princess. You said it yourself." (K)
"Right. But that shouldn't be an issue. We'll find a shelter before that time." (E)
It wouldn't be great to freeze at night, but we should arrive at the village before that happens.
"My princess, you might have a misconception. Our kind is very susceptible to the cold. And this should include you as well. It will impede our movements and slow our bodily functions. This is especially bad for a princess." (K)
Great, am I going to freeze to death?
Or at least get a severe insect cold?
(H)
And now I have to deal with an upset swarm princess.
Just great.
"The horses do their best. They simply got tired and need some rest as well." (E)
"But the reins are custom-made and the drones wouldn't be good at dragging something so big in a coordinated way." (E)
There are so many horses necessary to pull this coach that it wouldn't go well to drag it faster than it's intended to move.
That's just asking for it to fall over.
That aside, I would feel bad about using the workers like this.
Fortunately, it doesn't take long till the village comes into sight.
"There it is!" (E)
Finally, I can get out of the coach!
I started to feel a bit confined in there.
And well, there's another reason everyone knows just too well about.
Yes, my next laying is approaching.
It seems the slight tension I feel while traveling made my body close up.
Probably to enable a princess to travel without greater hindrances.
Otherwise, we would be quite vulnerable if it would start before a camp is set up.
It's the same as in a combat situation.
The tension is keeping the eggs inside.
Not like I'm against this positive part of my transformation.
But this means it's now about to catch up with me.
So I'll have to cut any formalities short, request quarters, and let the nurses do their thing.
I can already see the houses... and the knights... and the people, who're looking quite afraid of us.
Yes, okay, I should've been expecting that it would turn out like this when we're arriving with our army, even if the knights warned them beforehand.
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Seems like there's no way to keep this short, as someone has to calm things down.
And that won't be Honiu.
The poor village chief, albeit informed beforehand, looks as if he's close to fainting at our arrival.
It's fortunate that only my guard, covered in their cloaks, the nurses, and some necessary workers enter the village with us.
The main part is positioning on the outside.
Though, most people probably won't believe us that the village was surrounded to keep us safe by preventing hostiles from entering.
Finally, our coach comes to a stop.
The envoy meanwhile, is talking to the village chief, as it seems.
"...and as I already mentioned, those are Princess Erys and Princess Honiu. Please treat them with hospitality." (A)
Mhm, as long as that doesn't involve selling us out to the enemy.
Okay, time to do this according to my manners training.
"Good day, sir. I'm Erys. Pleased to make your acquaintance." (E)
That was good, right?
Exactly like a fine lady would.
"A-ah, i-is th-that so? W-w-welcome to o-our v-village." (village chief)
God, this poor man is stuttering like crazy.
That's what you get when you show up with an apocalyptic insect army around you.
"You don't need to be afraid. I promise our drones are only here for security reasons." (E)
"Y-y-yes. Sure. Y-you're v-very w-welc-come. B-but I-I'm afraid, w-we d-don't have f-fitting rooms f-for such e-esteemed g-guests." (village chief)
Honiu meanwhile looks almost menacingly from behind me.
"I'd like to enter my quarters. Soon! The temperature drops with each passing moment." (H)
"A-as I s-said, th-the o-only rooms w-would b-be i-in m-my house. I-I will s-sleep somew-where else f-for the n-night." (village chief)
"That won't be necessary. Fitting quarters for our princesses were already prepared." (K)
"They were?" (E)
What quarters?
And why do I only hear of this now?
"Naturally. In preparation for your journey we created several fitting locations which can at short notice serve as bases." (K)
"You mean in the underground, right Kyska?" (E)
"Naturally." (K)
I feared so.
At this moment the earth opens up in the middle of the village and several workers pour out into the village's center.
"Ah! They're going to eat us all!" (hysteric woman)
"Knights! Bring some order into this!" (A)
Fortunately, he didn't mean to take care of our units.
I hope they won't be too rough on the villagers.
I wouldn't want to be linked to that.
"Ehk, as I said, that's still part of the usual procedure. You don't have to be afraid." (E)
Might not sound too reassuring when at the same time more drones come out of the ground for everyone to see.
"I-if y-you s-say s-so." (village chief)
Obviously, he's not going to openly question my words.
The alternative is that they were right in suspecting imminent death by giant insects.
The peaceful variant sounds more appealing.
"My princess, we should now move to our quarters. It was a stressful day and you need rest, among other things." (K)
"Do I have to go into that hole?" (E)
"Erys, you should go. You don't want to take someone's sleeping place if you don't have to, right?" (F)
Sigh, mum is as always good at taking advantage of my guilty conscience.
"Fine, I'll go." (E)
"Wonderful. Please follow me, my princess." (K)
"Sir... Aaron I'll head to my quarters. We'll see each other early in the morning." (E)
Damn, I have absolutely no idea what his name is.
What a blunder.
"Lady Erys, we'll make sure everything is ready for your early departure.
Damn is that embarrassing.
Hiding below the earth sounds far more appealing now.
We're diving into the hole and I'm once more in the familiar underworld setting.
Now that we're back in this realm Honiu seems almost elated.
"Are you happy to be back under the earth?" (E)
Guess it makes sense from her perspective.
"Scriscriscriscri!" (H)
Is Honiu laughing?
"Ehk, what is so amusing?" (E)
"This human's communication was so flawed. And I thought our kind would be troubled to adapt to it. Now it turns out humans can't even do it themselves so well." (H)
Oh my, what a misconception.
She even speaks human to show off her own skills.
"He only had trouble speaking because he was scared as hell." (E)
"What would be the issue?" (H)
After that, I have to explain to Honiu why we're so extremely terrifying to humans and how this influences their communication.
"We arrived, my princess. Princess Honiu will, together with your mother claim their own quarters." (K)
"Mum?" (E?
"That's no biggie, Ery. You can rest assured." (F)
I'm by now as well convinced that Honiu isn't going to harm mum, yet a sleepover simply goes too far.
"Sleep well tonight! And good luck with your other stuff." (F)
My other stuff?
"Plop"
Oh, right.
Sometimes I forget for a moment.
And mum probably has to assist Honiu now.
The nurses are already here.
Some even use their bodies to let me lean in a comfortable position, while others take the eggs away.
Sigh.
Now I'm truly tired.
Physically as well as mentally, as it's an exhausting process.
"Kyska, you said my quarters would be here, but all I see is a round cavity." (E)
There isn't even any applicant.
"Don't worry, it will be now established." (K)
Established?
At this moment my worst fears literally combine in the form of my royal guard, guardians, workers, and nurses.
They all intersect their appendages and spread along the wall.
First, they cover the furthest spot, then the walls left and right, and before I can dash to escape in my panic it closes behind me.
"Kyska! What's the meaning of this? Why?!" (E)
"This is how a princess outside a base has to be handled. She can never leave the provided security of her subjects." (K)
"B-but..." (E)
Walls of flesh!
"Also, their bodies will keep you warm." (K)
I have no intention to make use of this!
"This isn't necessary! A normal room will do."(E)
"Oh, it is necessary. There are so many dangerous creatures that might suddenly emerge. In a fortified base, we can control everything, but here we can only pose as a barrier between possible threats and you." (K)
"And where am I supposed to sleep?" (E)
"Usually, you would rest on an assortment of your nurses, yet your mother pointed out that this might prove to be detrimental. Instead, we arranged some padding." (K)
She claps and soon nurses enter through a temporary opening in the flesh wall, placing soft pelts and fabric on the ground.
Seems like I have no choice.
I lie down on this provisional nest and try to rest but the twitching mass of flesh above me is making this difficult.
Coming from the vibrations they're even below me.
I certainly won't sleep well tonight.