We head down to the lower layers of the hive.

Somewhere below the middle should be something like a collective accommodation complex.

It would be a bit much to provide for each of them their own private quarters and I guess Liseti wants to maintain some surveillance.

Since I have a guide it doesn't take long to get there.

Upon my arrival, I notice that there are more light stones than usual in the vicinity.

Also, this place allows an open view of the pillar in the middle of the hive.

Probably a concession of Liseti since people aren't as used to the dim light and the narrow tunnels under the earth as the insects.

At the entrance a nurse welcomes me.

"Ah, Princess Erys. I greet you. Is there any reason for your visit?" (nurse)

"Ehk, I just wanted to look after the people... ehk, humans. I invited them, so I should show myself." (E)

"Naturally. All of them are in good health and properly taken care of." (nurse)

At this comment, I worry a little about the treatment they receive here.

Maybe the nurses see them as some kind of larvae.

This has some very disturbing implications regarding cleaning.

I went inside the facility.

At first sight, I would say that this place looks fine.

Well-maintained, clean, and warm.

I turn to the nurse.

"Could you tell me where the humans are?" (Erys)

"To the right. The other paths are a storage and a cleaning facility. At the end of the corridor, it spreads into two separate accommodations since the humans insisted on separated sleeping rooms regarding "gender"." (nurse)

I note some bewilderment at this.

Since most of the members of the swarm are drones it might be that they don't know about different genders.

I go there to finally look for my guests and assure Temia that nobody got mistreated here.

I find the men's space first.

Some look quite startled because of me. Looking in the round I see some of those I know from that meeting back then.

The beddings are mostly just piled-up earth, but the people could make do by putting whatever they had with them on top.

Be it blankets, cloaks, or clothes.

Yet touching one of these earth hills I need to. say they're at least soft.

"Ehk, hello. I wanted to ask if everyone here is fine or if there are any complaints." (E)

One of them steps forward.

From his attire, I would say he belongs to the craftsmen guild.

"We are fine. The first day was a little difficult yet by now we've got used to it." (craftsmen)

Another one speaks up.

This one seems to be from the builder guild.

"If we ask we can visit almost any place apart from that pillar. Yesterday I was able to witness the creation of a new tunnel. Who would have thought that these workers produce this agent in their bodies and apply it with glands in their mouths?" (builder)

I didn't.

And I didn't want to.

"So everything's fine? There were no problems?" (E)

"No, nothing." (craftsmen)

"If you don't count the cleaning incident."

Someone I couldn't see whispered something on the backside of the room.

"What was that?" (E)

"Ah, nothing. Just a little misconception with those maids." (craftsmen)

Looking at them, no one seems to be willing to talk.

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Rather they appear to be a little uneasy.

I guess I was pinpoint correct before.

"Isn't John still doing it?"

"Psht. That's nothing to talk about."

That's as well nothing I wanted to know about.

John's fetishes are his own business.

As long no one sees it and he cleans up at least.

"So is there anything left you would want to do?" (E)

Olira steps to my side.

"Actually, I haven't seen very much yet. I would like to visit whichever production facility you might want to show me." (O)

"Ehk, that should be the mycelium. The food is produced there." (E)

"Great! I'm into it." (O)

I look at Temia to hear how she thinks about this.

"I want to stay here and talk to the others. They should have seen enough to give me an overview." (T)

So we leave for this place.

We are also accompanied by some of the other people, turning this into a small tour.

Especially the members of the craftsmen's guild are important since they shall create the tools we might use in the future for the fieldwork.

Also, those of the builders guild who are interested in the deeper caverns and some merchant apprentices who might want to evaluate what we have in stock.

It's a little bit weird how I have to balance not distancing myself too far from the escort and at the same time talking but not coming too close to the people who the escort doesn't like.

"What can you tell me about this mycelium?" (O)

"Just the basics. We cultivate this edible mushroom there in large caverns. There are two ways to do it. Raising them as small crops or growing large ones you regularly cut partially. Yet Kyska knows better, right?" (E)

"You're praising me too much, my princess. You remembered everything accurately." (K)

"Still, is there anything to add?" (E)

"Let's see. There are some specifics. The soil should always be kept wet and the surrounding tunnels have to be regularly checked about their stability. The mushrooms might grow into the walls and destroy them. There are also parts which shouldn't get taken during the harvest to let them grow back in time." (K)

Kyska goes on for a while about the specifics of harvesting in the mycelium.

It's quite a dry topic but it crosses the time until we're in this forest.

There is a little bit of awe to see with the people.

But on the other side, they're a little uneasy as the visibility is extremely bad.

"Excuse me? Why weren't we allowed to go here before? Our requests were denied when we asked." (craftsmen)

"Because food draws life. Despite all safety measures, creatures can and will enter. We couldn't ascertain your safety. Now princess' Erys escort is with us, yet it would be too much of an effort to grant this to every single one of you. Apart from that, the caverns are vast and you might easily get lost. So by no mean stray from the group, please." (K)

This was a warning for everyone.

Everyone but me since I am sure there is no way for me to get lost.

An army of insects would at short notice get sent behind me.

We first visit the forest which extends around the pillar.

Most of the people are equally impressed as I was about this much nature in the underground.

There I see something unexpected.

"Dad?" (E)

"Yes. Your mother said I should get out and do something. Think she became annoyed with me. So I took the offer to work here on the fields. It's at least distracting me from everything." (R)

"Okay. It isn't too hard, right?" (E)

"No. the mushrooms are easy to cut. You take some, take them to a gathering station, and there they get brought away. I abstain from that part. I'm not too familiar with navigating those tunnels." (R)

"Okay, might be better. But don't overexert yourself." (E)

"Sure. It's not too hard and I've got the feeling that Suki ordered that one there to watch out for me." (R)

He points to a worker that truly seems to keep attentive watch of him.

After this, the other people start to pester dad with questions about his work here.

As he has practical insight he is naturally extremely interesting for them.

It takes a while and dad appears to be quite uncomfortable. He was never one who likes to talk.

"Alright, I guess this is enough now." (E)

No one is going to object against me.

Guess they don't want to offend the princess.

After this, we head deeper.

I discover that the mushroom fields are just that.

Apparently, several layers of caves are stacked above each other.

Some look like wild growths where the mushrooms spread everywhere, others are basically empty if not for some neatly arranged places from which they shall grow again.

Yet they all have in common that the entrances on the side are all patrolled.

"These fields have all in common that they're harvested at regularly harvested in a huge effort and then given time to regrow. It's especially important to assure that the earth has a certain degree of moisture. Otherwise, one couldn't cultivate the harvest on these. For this purpose, several channels to a close reservoir were built. A dangerous task, which regularly claims lives among those who dig into the wet." (K)

"Wait! Does that mean everything could flood here any moment?" (builder)

I can see that the builder would worry about the structural stability.

Maybe I should as well.

"Naturally not. By now the reservoirs are properly secured. They won't break." (K)

"Would it be possible to visit these securing measures up close?" (builder)

"Not with our princess present. It may be safe here, but I won't allow her to be directly next to this place." (K)

"Kyska, you're again a little overprotective. Regarding "allowing" me to do stuff." (E)

"I'm sorry, my princess. Choosing the right "words" all the time is difficult. Naturally, I meant it would be too dangerous when these creatures poke against the reservoir's walls to test the stability to have you anywhere close by. The risk of drowning is too high." (K)

Thinking about it, tunnels filling with water wouldn't be good.

Especially since I believe those carapaces are extremely heavy.

On the other side, it's not like I've not noticed that my movements are restricted.

After that, we proceed some more time, looking through the different stages of food production.

Harvesting, storing them in specially designated rooms, where they get further processed.

"What happens here, Kyska?" (E)

"Most of the fresh harvest is directly brought to the distribution facilities, from there it will be brought to every single member of the swarm. The rest is either dried and transported to the caverns in the outer layer, or fed to the nectar units since this is the most efficient way to store it." (K)

"An efficient way to store food? Could we visit this place?" (O)

The nectar facilities!?

Oh god! No!