Chapter 1489 – Slip of the Mandibles

I was going to visit the healers anyway, so being prodded by the Legion at the same time isn’t a big deal. I’m the one who agreed to their conditions, after all; it’s not like I can complain now.

Well… I can… and I will! Just… internally.

Advant and I wind our way through the myriad tunnels of the burgeoning fortress, and I’m pleased to see how far along the building has come. With these large connecting tunnels complete, the build teams have moved on to finishing all the rooms, passages and chambers that come off them. Through the offramps and entrances, I can see workshops, resting chambers, storehouses and even guest rooms being filled in.

Solant’s mastery of logistics continues to amaze and astound with just how efficient everything is. The guest rooms already have carpets, beds and tapestries in them, for goodness’ sake! Not to mention the fine woodworked furniture!

Hello? Can we get a wall or something in the outer tunnels where the fighting is taking place?

As much as I want to protest, I know that Solant has arranged everything this way for a reason. Just because I don’t know what it is doesn’t mean it isn’t for the best. Most importantly, the network of channels that will be the lifeline of this base are now complete, and the final touches are being put onto the many, many wuffer platforms dotted throughout the fortress.

When that work is done, the outer edges of the fortress will finally be completed, and I, along with all the other ants fighting at the frontline, will be able to retreat inside, secure behind the thickest walls, the most robust gates and the deadliest traps the Colony has ever devised.

Not to mention a thick wall of blue mana that will dissolve any enemy that comes too close. Gweheheheheh. If things go well, we won’t have to defend the fortress at all; the cleansed energy of the wuffers will do all of the work for us.

We stride into a chamber to find a group of healers and Legionaries standing ready, waiting for my arrival. The Legion Commander is in attendance, along with Morrelia, which is nice. It’s good to see Morrelia is doing well, though, if I’m honest, she looks a bit stressed.

Ah. I think I see the reason, and it has a large, luxurious moustache. In the time it takes me to move from the entrance to the centre of the room, Isaac hasn’t taken his eyes off Morrelia once, smiling gently to himself and stroking his moustache idly with one hand while she avoids his gaze completely.

Geez.

[Isaac, get the heck out of here.]

He jumps when I speak to him, whipping around to look at me.

[Wha? Why?]

[Your facial hair is annoying. Go wait outside the door.]

[My… my facial hair?] he asks, voice trembling as he raises both hands to cover his pride and joy.

[You don’t have to shave it or anything, just go wait outside, dammit!]

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Yeesh.

Still confused, he does as I’ve asked, and only when he’s out of sight does Morrelia visibly relax. Come on, Isaac, you have to be a lot better than this if you want to be her friend. Even Odin is doing better than you. Odin! Sarah can at least stand to be around him, which is more than I can say for this situation.

Commander Chyron, resplendent in her burnished armour and sweeping red cloak, cuts quite the dashing figure in the middle of the room, and I approach her, looming over the much smaller human, clacking my mandibles ominously.

[Are you done?] she asks once the mind bridge has been established. [You aren’t impressing anyone.]

[Is that so? I’m a supremely unimpressive monster? Then I suppose you can pack up and go home. No need to be hanging around here with five thousand highly trained and expensively equipped troops, am I right?]

Chyron frowns and folds her arms across her chest. [You’re annoying, if nothing else.]

[Coming from an Abyssal Legion Commander, I think annoying is a compliment,] I chuckle, giving my mandibles a few more snaps. [How’ve you been finding your tunnel? I hear things have been getting crazy up there.]