Lia stared in shock at the new drones Rose had made. There were…more than she had expected. A lot more than she had expected.
I…was gone for half an hour. Lia said weakly. How did you get twenty more so quickly?
I obtained a Skill that let me command some of my sisters. Rose explained. I then made foot soldiers which I used to increase the efficiency of the hunt. Those three are hunting for more rats even as we speak.
Oh, Lia replied, outstanding work. Wait…when did you learn how to talk with me like this?
While I was commanding my sisters, I got another Skill that let me communicate telepathically with members of the swarm that I can see. But…I have something important to tell you, my Queen.
Go ahead. Lia said. I’m all ears.
You might already be aware, but…I seem to house a reincarnated soul. And…my old memories are starting to come back to me. Of when I was a person, not a rat.
Lia blinked in surprise. I knew you had a soul, but…memories? Are you sure?
Yes, my Queen. I even received a Special Title called Preserved Soul. It prevents my memories of my past life from being tampered with. I vaguely recall some things, and I’m reasonably sure I was someone who was very talented. I was put through college, and that feels like it was very rare when I was alive. I don’t know if things are different now.
Lia nodded distractedly. It’s still not common, but it’s not something too unusual nowadays.
I see. I…have decided to endeavor to unlock more of my memories, so I can be of more use to you, but is that something you want? I’ll stop if you don’t agree with my decision, of course.
No, keep going. Lia said. If you’re this effective with only the memories you have now, I look forward to your progress in the future.
Rose hesitated for a moment before looking down and continuing. If, by some chance, I begin to become disobedient because of this, will you order me to stop seeking to unlock my memories? I don’t think I will, but –
No. Lia said firmly, cutting Rose off. I expect you to see this through to the end, come what may. So long as you do not try to hurt me, undermine my goals, or otherwise purposefully damage the swarm, I won’t mind any rebelliousness. I don’t want to be surrounded by people who can only say “yes” to everything I do. If I have a bad idea, I expect to be told as much, understood? Besides, if you become disobedient, me telling you to stop isn’t going to do anything anyway.
Rose looked up, eyes filled with an emotion Lia couldn’t quite place. Admiration? Loyalty? Lia wasn’t sure. She was oddly good at reading Rose’s emotions when she took into account the fact that Rose was a rat, but she still couldn’t figure out this one. I understand, my Queen. Rose said. May I ask how the raid went?
I called it off. The goblins are building fortifications, and I want to let them finish.
Rose gave her a curious look, but said nothing.
Speak. Lia commanded. I can tell you’ve got a question.
Why let them finish? Isn’t it usually best to defeat them before they can become entrenched?
Lia nodded. Yes, but their barricades are meant to ward off enemies their size or larger. The parts of the swarm that are rat-sized can easily fit through the gaps they leave. My hope is that we can take over their fortifications and use it as a stronghold in enemy lands.
Understanding dawned on Rose’s face. I see. In that case, we’ll need a lot more troops, won’t we?
That is my plan, yes. Seeing as how you have exceeded all my expectations, I’m going to put you in charge of the swarm for now. I think we’ll need at least fifty more foot soldiers if we want to make this a success, and we’ll need as much modeling wax as we can possibly make. Can you do that?
Rose swelled with pride. I will do my best, but my Skill only allows for control of a limited number of my sisters at once. I’m afraid my efficiency will be hampered by that.
That is no issue. I will simply inform the swarm to do anything you tell them to do. Since you are capable of speaking with them, that should be sufficient.
Understood. What will you be doing?
Experimenting. Lia replied. I would ask that you make five cocoons with rats and leave them in the burrow, I wish to see how I can alter their conversions by introducing other objects to their cocoons.
Consider it done, my Queen.
Thank you, Rose. I wish I had some way to reward you for your good work, but I’m afraid I have nothing to give. Is there anything you want?
Rose blinked. I’ve done nothing to be praised for, my Queen. I’ve just done my best, as any of my sisters would.
Be that as it may, I still feel bad dumping all of this work on you and then not giving you any sort of reward.
Your praise is more than enough! Rose protested. Like all my sisters, I live to serve you and further your goals. Being given work like this is as natural as breathing, I don’t deserve a reward for it!
Lia pondered that for a moment. Well, in this case, I’d feel better if I gave you a reward. Is that not enough for you to deserve one?
Rose hesitated, mulling that over. I suppose it is, my Queen. Still, I’m afraid that, right now, I have no desires other than to make you happy. Even if you were to ask me what I want, currently that is everything.
Lia was silent as she considered that. In that case, your reward will be the ability to speak to me normally. None of this “my Queen” stuff, just call me Lia and talk with me like you would anyone else.
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But –
No buts. Lia said. You’re the only person around here to talk to. I don’t want our communication to be all stuffy and formal. If I can’t just…talk, then I’m going to go crazy.
I…understood, my Q – I mean, yes, Lia.
Good. Now, I’m going to go get to work, I’ll meet you back here shortly before nightfall, so I’ll see you then, alright?
I…will see you then, Lia. Rose replied.
With that settled, Lia commanded her swarm to listen to Rose’s orders, and set off in search of interesting things to bring back. She definitely wanted to bring back a plant, to see what options having both a plant and an animal would give to a conversion, but everything else was sort of up in the air. She was even considering opening the Dimension of Discounts and buying a couple of cheap things, just to see what they did in conversion, and not because they’d be useful in the upcoming battle.
She eventually decided against that last course of action. If she wanted to make any sort of efficient use of the Dimension of Discounts, she needed the search function. And if she wanted to get that within the sale period, she needed to save her Blood Money.
She’d also have to carefully balance killing and converting goblins. While converting things gave her more experience, it didn’t give her any Blood Money, and the goblins gave precious little of that to begin with. The goblin sentries gave five each at her Skill’s current level, which meant she’d have to kill about two hundred if she wanted to afford the search.
That was…honestly somewhat doable. It seemed that kills made by her swarm gave her Blood Money as well, and if there was a true goblin stronghold in the bazaar like she expected, there would probably be enough goblins for that.
But that would also leave her swarm relatively understaffed. If the other areas were this difficult, she would have a rough time getting through them with a small swarm, especially if she assumed she would lose much of her swarm in the process of hunting the goblins.
But not all goblins would be sentries. She suspected many of the ones she would face later that evening would be soldiers of some sort, and those should hopefully give more Blood Money. They would also likely convert into much better things, but…she’d get there when she got there.
She reached her first target, a plant not dissimilar to the one she had converted into a prickler, and quickly coated it in modeling wax. She hardened the cocoon for ease of transport, then began to lug it back to the burrow.
As she returned, she caught sight of Rose, who hurried over. M – I mean, Lia, this is a little presumptuous, but may I ask you to do me a favor?
Depends on what it is. Lia replied. But I’m not opposed to the idea.
I’m making a separate pile of cocoons from the five set apart for you. Rose said. Could you convert them to burrowers for me?
Yeah, that’s no problem. May I ask why?
I think they’re going to be very important for long-term production of modeling wax. Rose explained. Until we can get some sort of farm or ranch set up, the only thing we can really guarantee will be around is…well, the ground. Burrowers take a while to convert stuff to modeling wax, but I think it’ll be good to have once we run out of corpses.
Lia nodded. Good thinking. Anything else I can do for you while I’m here?
N-no, that’s all, thank you, m – Lia.
Any time. How’s progress on your end?
I’ve obtained the five rats you wished for and have another five waiting for conversion into burrowers. I’m hoping to get ten more burrowers after those, and then I’m going to start pumping out foot soldiers. Once we have the fifty you requested, I’m going to completely shift efforts to producing modeling wax.
Lia blinked. You’re progressing much faster than I expected. Outstanding work.
Rose beamed. Thank you, Lia! I won’t let you down!
I’m sure you won’t. Lia replied, before making her way into the burrow. Rose was…already proving to be far more competent than Lia was. Was…was it really right that Lia was the one leading the swarm when Rose was doing such a good job?
Those doubts were swiftly crushed by an even stronger feeling. Her instincts were screaming at her, telling her that this was her job. She had been reborn for this purpose, and if she harbored doubts over every subordinate that outshined her in an area, she would never get anywhere. Rose was proving to be an amazing manager, but that was just one thing.
Amelia was perhaps the strongest magic user the world had ever seen, but she was still planning to become part of the swarm, and Lia wasn’t going to let Amelia lead. The same went for the great warriors or adventurers Lea would convert. So, why should she let a manager lead? It was for the same reason rulers didn’t give their position to their advisors, no matter how competent those advisors were. They were a symbol, something that couldn’t be easily replaced.
Perhaps that logic was flawed, but it was enough to satisfy Lia. She finished dragging her cocooned plant over to a neat line of five cocoons that had been set into a sort of nook in the wall, then moved over to a much messier group to the side. These ones were probably the ones Rose had wanted her to convert, so she set them to convert into burrowers, and turned her attention back to the ones set aside for her experimentation.
She combined the cocoon of one of the rats with the plant cocoon, then took a look at her available options. There were the standard options for both the rat and the bush, but there were also a few new ones that caught her eye.
Based on your abilities, the abilities of Fearful Rat, and the abilities of Highland Sagebrush, the following options are available for conversion. Please pick one:
Lesser Rat Druid (Plant):
A Rat Druid is a rat that has become attuned to nature. They possess magical abilities much like the Rat Aristocracy, but their magic tends to focus less on combat and more on influencing animals and altering their environment. This particular druid is specialized in dealing with plants, and has bonuses to magic that targets plants.
Lesser Swarm Gardener:
A Swarm Gardener is a worker specialized in tending the swarm’s plants. Swarm gardeners are particularly excellent at raising plants that have been modified by the swarm, and are at their best when raising a relatively small number of plants. In addition, Swarm Gardeners are capable of converting plants into several common types of swarm plants, such as the swarm prickler.
Lesser Lurking Rattrap:
The Lurking Rattrap is a carnivorous plant that specializes in eating rats. The Lurking Rattrap emits an odor that attracts rats, and consumes any that stray too close. The Lurking Rattrap then proceeds to digest the rat, converting any matter not needed to sustain itself into modeling wax, which it deposits in a cavity underneath its roots.
This creature does not have enough intelligence to understand anything other than very simple commands.
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