“No way…”
“Yes, Father.”
She nodded.
“They are mine.”
“What…?”
Kael blinked and instead of answering, the little thing stood up, her purple eyes looked right at the ants gathering around them and suddenly,
“Xix’rah, come out when I am telling you to.
Do not make me come there.”
“…kreek.”
A low, almost guilty-sounding voice was heard as suddenly, a long and slender ant walked out. Her carapace shimmered in shades of deep violet and black, meant to blend into the shadows. Thin silver lines ran across her back, pulsing faintly.
Unlike others, she had multiple eyes, her antennae were longer than her body, constantly moving, always listening.
The instant Kael’s eyes fell on her, they widened in surprise.
[Name: Xix’rah]
[Race: Whisperveil Ant Queen]
[Rank: Epic]
[Age: 68]
[Level: 82]
[Strength: 28]
[Agility: 131]
[Speed: 132]
[Stamina: 191]
[Defense: 49]
[Mana: 358]
[Intelligence: 410]
[Charisma: 550]
[Strengths: Hive Mindlink, Silent Command, Mass Surveillance, Strategic Analysis]
[Weaknesses: Physically Fragile, Relies Heavily on Hive, Vulnerable Without Ant Network]
…
‘It really is her!
A Whisperveil Ant Queen!!’
Kael exclaimed in his head.
One of the most rare beasts was currently standing in front of him. Honestly, Kael felt like she was trying to avoid coming close to him but then,
“Young woman, this will be my last warning.”
Ria spoke up and suddenly, Xix’rah’s body flinched.
Kael blinked, a little taken aback, but he soon noticed the Ant Queen walking towards him. He turned towards Ria and wondered why she was acting like the Queen’s mother but then suddenly, he recalled something and once again, his expression changed,
“Ria, you…”
“Yes, Xix’rah and her ants will be at your disposal now,”
Imperia declared plainly, as if she’d just offered him a spare cloak and not the single most elusive and powerful information network in the entire continent.
“…What?”
Kael blinked.
He wasn’t sure if he heard that right.
“I took control over their colony and I am handing it to you,”
Imperia nodded casually, her antennae twitching as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
“…”
Kael stared at her, speechless.
“Their colony has around ten thousand ants. They’re spread throughout the forest. Every root, every tunnel, every stretch of terrain belongs to them. They know every corner of this place,”
Imperia went on, lazily tapping her antenna against Kael’s finger like a child doodling on paper.
“Every explored path, every unexplored cave, every burrow, every crack in the ground. They’ve mapped it all. From the deepest underground nest to the highest leaf canopy, their network spans it like a living web.”
Kael gulped.
“That’s… that’s better than any scout force…
Even aerial view Artifacts can’t detect through underground walls but these an—”
Kael was about to mention some Artifacts Veylara had told him about, but,
“They don’t need to look through walls,”
Imperia interrupted in her usual, soft tone.
“They’re already inside them.”
“…”
Kael paused.
“They know about the beasts living here too,”
Imperia continued.
“From the largest wyvern nesting at the mountain base to the tiniest burrow of spirit mice under the moss.
Nothing escapes them.”
The little girl then glanced at Kael with her big eyes and,
“And that means nothing will escape you.”
Kael felt chills run down his spine when he heard those words.
“You said… there are ten thousand of them?”
“Yes, it is a smaller colony.”
Imperia nodded.
“This is… small?”
“Yes. They can do better.”
Imperia nodded, staring at Xix’rah like a disappointed parent. Xix’rah even lowered her head, embarrassed.
Imperia sighed before she turned back to her father and,
“But they have indeed done an incredible job in mapping the forest, I have verified it myself. From this end to the other, they have mapped it all. They will guide you through the forest as if it is your backyard.
You’ll never get lost.
You’ll never walk into danger.
If there’s anything other humans usually collect—plants, fruits or other things—they will inform you.
They will also know if anyone else is nearby, be it a beast or… humans.
Spies and assassins included.
You can confidently close your eyes here, Father. This forest is your domain now, nothing that happens here will ever go unnoticed by your eyes.”
The little girl spoke and Kael just stared at his youngest with a lost look on his face.
“That sounds… incredibly useful.”
He muttered.
To think he would be the safest inside a… forest.
If only he had this sort of network everywhere he wen—
“They can follow you if you want, Father.”
“What…?”
“The Whisperveil Ants, they can abandon their colony and follow you to wherever you go. They will stay hidden in your shadow. Alert you before danger approaches. Listen in on enemy camps. Follow trails. Map territories. Track targets without being seen.
I will also teach them how to relay your voice across their link, if you want to speak to someone miles away.
It is something they should know but for some reason, they do not.”
Imperia spoke as she glanced at Xix’rah, once again sounding like a disappointed parent as she said those last words.
“You do not have to bond with their Queen either since you have me.
I can take control over their colony permanently.”
Imperia spoke confidently.
“You can… do that?”
Kael blinked.
“I am the Mother of All Ants, Father.”
Imperia answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Won’t… they resist?”
“Resist?”
Imperia tilted her head as she stared at Xix’rah, who flinched and desperately shook her head as if she could very well understand what Kael and Imperia were talking about.
Imperia turned back towards her father and,
“I am their Mother.
It will be like their Grand Queen taking over them.
There will be no resistance.”
“So you can have… the strongest information network in the entire world under your command just like that…?”
“Just like that.”
Imperia nodded confidently.
And Kael…
He had no words.
It wasn’t just him,
‘She’s… terrifying,’
Igni was taken aback as well.
‘She is…’
Even Cirri seemed slightly intimidated.
Kael could only nod.
The more he looked at his tiny daughter, the more he realized how ridiculous of an existence she was.
6 minutes.
That was all she was gone for.
And in these 6 minutes, she returned with the strongest information network in the entire world…
It was ridiculous.
“Then should we start moving, Father? We have already wasted a few minutes. You shouldn’t procrastinate, it is not good for your health.”
Imperia spoke up in her motherly yet adorable tone.
And Kael… he just sighed in defeat and smiled.
“…Lead the way, my little Queen.”