"And thus, I came here, saw you, and you asked me to tell you my story..."
I had finished telling my story for the Queen Bee who looked, or at least seemed rather relaxed even after I told her about what happened since my birth into this world two weeks ago, to a couple of hours ago.
Of course, I didn't tell her about me being a reincarnator, and the fact that I can cultivate, because, well, how can I even talk about that right now? "Hey, you might not know, or care about this, but before I spawned here, I was a normal human in another world where the setting we are now in was just a story by some chinese person, and I can cultivate because I asked a goddess to allow me have access to that ability!"
... Yeah... unless asked about it, I'd rather not open that can of worm anytime soon, even if it would be opened at some point. I'd prefer to have SOME time to calm myself and think properly before tackling that subject, at least until the Queen Bee asked about it.
Giving the equivalent to a hum, the queen of bees shrugged, and I felt her outward calm looks hiding the serious thought process that was going.
'So, these humans, you said you might want to spare the woman? And what about that unconscious guy?' she asked me with no words spoken, such was the communication between the two of us. Honestly, her 'words' were far more understandable than that Black Wolf I fought more than a week ago.
No doubt it's due to her far higher intelligence and power that she can make her intent clear to other beasts with no need to actual words, just using her body language and the small expressions on her face.
"Y-yes. I believe she is a good... well, I won't say friend... so maybe a companion, in my opinion, or a minion if you want to identify it that way. Plus, she can understand you a lot more than most humans due to her Qi sensing skill. It seems quite potent from what I understood of it." I told her.
Of course, while I am hoping for her to spare Mei Wu, I won't argue if the Queen Bee wanted her dead. Just the previous hour made it clear that if this beast wanted to do something to me, she can do so just because she can. Which is why I hoped that she accepts Xie Yu's honorable sacrifice instead.
"As for that guy... well, I don't really have much use for him beyond a slave and energy machine for me to feed on, which I don't think I have the time to indulge in right now, and so, I'd be glad to heed to whatever fate you have for him."
Yep, completely honorable, all things considered. At least, in my really humble(d) opinion.
I felt sweat appearing on my body as the queen looked at me, her eyes feeling like they were trying to see any hints of deceit I might have in my heart, as time seemed to stop between the two of us, until she finally decided what to do.
'Very well, then. I will let the woman live for now, but she will be under your command. I don't expect her to be happy and proud about it, but she either understands it and knows her place, or she leaves my domain with a price.' I felt a shiver down my spine at that, knowing that the price would be worse than servitude.
'Don't disappoint me, Kasumi Ai.'
I felt my body relaxing just a bit. That was basically a permission, if I am even remotely correct about this Queen Bee's thoughts.
'And as for that guy, I would take your offer for him as a meal for me and my hive.' the answer was stated casually, and I honestly felt cold when I heard it, despite me having no care or reservations about doing so for any being I killed before.
I wonder if that was due to it coming from this monster that I know is unbelievably stronger than me at the moment or the fact that it could also be a threat directed at me, knowing that I won't be able to stop her from doing the same to me if she wished for that to happen.
"I'm really glad for your generosity." I really was. By xianxia novel standards, she's a saint in how she acted.
'It would be just foolish of me not to allow you show me your worthiness. As I said about your... companion, I don't expect you to treat my hive as your new home or like it, but as long as you don't purposely test my patience or do so too much, you will be fine.'
Yup, a saint. Is it because of her being the queen of a hive, and the fact that bees are highly social beings is the reason she is this merciful? That makes sense if I look at it from that angle. Honestly, I am rather happy that her being a bee actually mattered, and she didn't just act like a random carnivorous monster like many people write bees to be like, especially if the bees are just fodders whose only characteristics is that they are in a hive.
Now, the only problem is to make sure I can grow in power, and make sure that I become strong enough to even escape if needed.
"Yes!" my voice heightened just slightly more than usual, "Uh, I should go to my... new room or living area, now, correct? Assuming you are generous enough to give me one...?" I asked, and I just felt the awkwardness in the air on my side.
A moment of silence before the Queen Bee buzzed again. Amusement, I felt.
'Yes, you and your companion can have one. But before that, I have one last question for the day...'
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My heart raced at that, and despite my best, her curious look and aura nearly caused me to cringe, as my face got stuck on a nerveous smile, my mind racing and wondering just what she might want to know, and already expecting the worst.
Just what she is planning to ask me about? Me being able to evolve so fast compared to other beasts? Or maybe she is just planning to torment me with a 'you won't betray me correct?' question, appealing to power?!
Sweat started to appear once more on my face, and I swallowed hard.
"Y-yes...?"
Then, the question that would result in my death had come...
'Do you know about the flower in your human part's chest?'
Yes, my secret is out and I am going to di- wait what?
My mouth opened on its own to plead for my life, before my brain processed what she just said.
"Uhh... what...?" I asked dumbly, still terrified yet strangely relaxed, and utterly confused.
I blinked, and I felt even the leaves of mine that were tense went limp from the sheer whiplash in the mood.
"... my flower...?" I pointed at the rainbow flower on my chest, and the ones on my lower body.
'Yes, that one. Do you know what it does, and can you create more of it?'
... Well, color me shocked. I wasn't going to be killed here, but just asked about the strange rainbow flower I have on my body.
"I don't know what it is." the truth. I never really had any time to check it out at all.
I had evolved into a Silver-ranked beast only the night before Mei Wu and the two Xie assholes 'visited' me, then had some time fighting, more time recuperating from the injuries, talked with Mei Wu and tormented Xie Yu for a couple of hours, then immediately went to meet the queen of bees. I had no time to see what the heck the flowers on my body even were, and my ability to create and understand flora by consuming them didn't help since these rainbow flowers came "naturally," or so I assume.
I assume they can probably be some rare kind of flower that can only appear once every few years or something, or they can just be some normal flower, but the areas of the forest I was in just didn't have it.
Regardless, I don't know what they are. But creating more of them though...
"Though I might probably be able to create more? I am not sure." I was uncertain, really.
The rainbow flower was definitely one I didn't see before, nor did I consume them, so I might not be able to create more of them.
"Are they important around here?" I asked her.
'Not really.' despite the clearly nonchalant mood, I definitely felt disappointment coming from her. What did I do?
She... definitely knows what this flower does, doesn't she? I want to ask what it is, but I love myself alive, and I'd rather not risk it by irking my rather currently benevolent 'host.'
'Just go to your current living area and enjoy the night. You would be given your tasks tomorrow. But give that male to me.' she dismissed me.
Knowing that I wasn't needed for now, I left, leaving Xie Yu to her and holding a still-unconscious Mei Wu with me, and casually leaving as the Silver-ranked Protector Bee guided me to my chamber,
This time, it wasn't glaring as hard at me. Apparently me being accepted by the queen made me a bit more respected in its eyes.
I felt my body relaxing as the presence of the Queen Bee wasn't as overpowering as before. It very much was still present, but it wasn't that all-consuming like before, and soon enough, I reached my new 'living area.'
It was basically a giant honeycomb-looking cell, large enough to fit me and Mei Wu comfortably. Many of the Worker Bees and Drone Bees were also there taking... wax and honey out of the honeycomb-like room?
They really are going above what I expected of them...
I gladly thanked them as I entered, and I was rather shocked when I felt the same sensation I had when I entered the hive's entrance. So they even had that part implemented on every honeycomb the bees live inside. Though it seems to be only there for comfort instead of actual protection.
I put the still sleeping Mei Wu on the ground then I took a long and deep breath as my Qi circled through my body and I decided to sleep, completely spent.
It was quite late at this point, so might as well take this time to get much-needed rest. The corpses of the Hound and Xie Li were still in my lower mouth being digested, and that would probably finish in a few days even with my speeding up the process with my Qi.
Oh well, I guess I would just need to survive until then, hopefully.
And my petals closed on my upper half, as black consumed my vision. I'd really love a good night's sleep right now.
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I was awoken to the sounds of screams and wails in a place close to me. Even before the petals separated, the eyes on my large lower body were already open, looking around, and my internal clock instinctually telling me that it was close to the sunrise, timewise, but I ignored it as I focused on the sounds.
Mei Wu finally awoke, but it was clearly not a happy wake-up.
Face looking pale as she looked around, and her Qi was feeling quite terrified, and body frozen in shock.
"-Ai! Kasumi Ai!" her words became clearer, and I realized that her eyes were looking around as best as she could as she called for me.
"I'm awake." I answered as I focused my attention at her, and she looked just the slightest bit calmer, most likely due to her Qi senses telling her that I am with her with no intent to harm her.
She... would have attempted to run if I left her alone here, wouldn't she?
"Wh-where... where are we...?" she moved her head, fear visible as her eyes kept moving around. "What happened? Why do I smell the scent of honey in such overpowering manner? How did- how did we get here!?" the voice became louder that it bordered on hysterical.
She almost looked pleadingly at me to answer her, but I knew that she would most definitely not like the answers even if I could speak in a language she can understand.
Sensing that while many of the bee beasts are already awake, but none were in front of our 'room', so either the Queen Bee decided to let us have some time on our own before telling us to work, so I decided to use this chance to talk to the obviously terrified woman and calm her down, even a bit, which is why one of my vines moved in front of her, as I created some fruits and sweet nectar.
"Calm down, please." I tried to make my tone as calming as possible. If I am to explain what happened, I need her to think properly, or at least not practically hysterical.
Her mouth opened at my words and intent, yet no words were made, instead she did her best to breathe as she shook violently, trying to calm herself as best as possible, only succeeding minutes later.
Now, I can begin to try telling her what's going on.
"Where... where are... we?" was her first question as fear was visible on her face, even eating my nectar wasn't helping much, though she wasn't as terrified as before.
Honestly, I didn't know how to tell her we are inside the hive. If only I could talk her language as easily as I can understand it...
Sighing, I started doing my best to explain what just happened. Let's hope we both finish this conversation soon enough, since I feel that the Queen Bee might also feel like meeting Mei Wu to 'explain' the terms of our new... employment, so to speak.