Chapter 1438 – Day Spa

“Twelve hours before you go out again,” the healer scolded, “not a second sooner.”

“I heard you the first time. AND the second time, alright? The third just feels insulting.”

“We’ve been instructed to warn at least three times, since our patients are so determined to make their injuries worse.”

“Hey, I’m not in the Immortals! You think I like having my eyeballs melted?”

The healer looked at me suspiciously and clacked her mandibles in thought.

“Maybe,” she said.

“Now I am offended.”

“I don’t care if you’re offended, only if you’re alive,” the healer said, hopping off my carapace and heading off to her next patient.

Yeesh. They really are the grumpiest of all the castes in the Colony. Permanently peeved.

I slowly pick myself up and give myself a quick check over. Of course, I don’t find anything wrong, since the healers have a much better sense for these things than I do. To be honest, I feel a lot better knowing that an expert has given me the all-clear. The mana of the fifth is just so insidious. I’m not a fan of walking around while trace amounts might still be inside me.

[Master, welcome back!]

[Hey, Crinis, how’s things?]

The little ball of infinite nightmares slips out of the shadows and manifests herself into a little ball in front of me, wiggling her tentacles in greeting.

[As good as they can be in this place,] she replies, full of cheer.

[Yeah, I hear you. Things are tough down here. Any word from Tiny and Invidia?]

[They’re still fighting in the tunnels, I believe. At least, Tiny is, and Invidia won’t leave without him.]

Ah, I should have known. I reach out to the ape, who very much should have finished his rotation on the frontlines by now.

[Hey, Tiny! If you’ve finished your shift, clock off and come find me. That’s an order! Sheesh!]

Dammit, Tiny. I can only imagine how frustrating he finds the fighting down here, but even so, he won’t walk away from it if he has the chance to throw punches.

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[While he sulks and finishes up his shift, let’s head over to the headquarters. I need to talk to Solant and the others.]

[Oh, did you find something while you were out, Master?]

[Ah… yes. You know, it’s weird having to explain, I’m too used to having you around all the time. Normally, you would already know what I’d seen.]

[Well… you could take me out there with you….]