Chapter 130: Chapter 130

Belissar wanted to add some monster bumblebee queens right away but, unfortunately, his available mana was still exceedingly low. He had only sixteen mana to his name after the day’s purification reward…and he had intended to use fifteen of that to add ponds to the three second floor rooms. Then, there were still two empty rooms, one each on the first and third floor, for him to fill. And then, he would likely need to add new resource nodes both to make sure the karnuq were well-supplied and to fulfill his promise to feed all the bees to their hearts’ contents even with the arrival of a new species of queen. With all that in mind, it would likely be some time before Belissar could confidently add a monster bumblebee queen spawner.

He heaved a light sigh before turning in for the night. Well, the solution to all of those issues was the same. Stay patient, conduct purifications, and expand his mana. So, there was nothing for it but to wait for tomorrow.

The next morning, Belissar went ahead and placed three new Pond features in the new second floor rooms. It pained him watching his mana drop back to zero, especially when he knew that fifteen was more than enough for a monster bumblebee queen spawner. But he held to his course for now and made his way to the Tower’s entrance, Niobee and the soldier bee army escorting him as usual. He stepped outside to find the karnuq preparing to gather. They paused, and then saluted to him in their fashion. Leijaliuk, who had been organizing the gatherers as she normally did, walked up to him.

“Hello, Sacred Den Master, did you need us for something?”

“Is Chief Rohsuak around?”

Leijaliuk turned and motioned to another karnuq who ran into the camp.

“Yes, I’ll send for her. She should meet you shortly.”

Belissar thanked her and then stood off to the side. A moment later, Chief Rohsuak walked up to the Tower.

“If it reaches the core, the shade will vanish and the core will become partially corrupted. It…seems kind of bad, to be honest, but we can also extract and purify that corruption later. I think as long as we don’t let it build up too much, it shouldn’t threaten the Tower as a whole.”

His face turned dark again.

“And if the bee army fails, we probably won’t have much choice but to get out of the way and try to survive.”

Belissar flinched as he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He looked up to find Chief Rohsuak patting him. Niobee and the soldiers hovered a bit closer but did not intervene.

“We will do our utmost to ensure it does not come to that, Sacred Den Master.”

Metsaitti saluted as well. Belissar took a deep breath and tried to focus away from the dark thoughts.

“…thank you. Um, should we talk more about the rooms?”

Chief Rohsuak gave him a smile and a nod as she stepped back. Chief Rohsuak and Metsaitti then made their recommendations and requests. Belissar made a small incline starting from the entrance to the room, with a bunch of the trees clustered at the top to give shade to anyone watching the staircases. The two karnuq mapped out where they’d start building a settlement and Belissar moved the pond to the center of that area. Chief Rohsuak rubbed her chin.

“It’s a bit small for all of us…but you said this is some sort of built-in feature of the Sacred Den? Can I assume the water will be replenished regularly?”

Belissar hummed for a moment.

“I’m…not sure, but I think so? I, um, don’t even know where the water came from, but it cost mana so I’d guess there’ll be some magic involved?”

Chief Rohsuak slowly nodded.

“We’ll have to test it then, but if you needed mana to make it then it should work that way.”

The group then toured the other two rooms. They had little to say on the Orchard, save that Belissar promised them wood tree nodes so they wouldn’t have to cut down the apple trees. They had a bit more to say on the Dirt Tunnels given their long sojourns through the underway, and Belissar complied. He cut down on the winding and twisting labyrinth the Dirt Tunnels would spawn as, widening the tunnels as large as they would go while creating some bigger caverns at regular intervals. He added several more entrances in between the Dirt Tunnels and the Flower Meadow, and even the Dirt Tunnels and the Orchard. Apparently the Tower would let him do that now that he had three rooms per floor.

When it was all said and done, the group arrived back at the Flower Meadow. Chief Rohsuak looked over the land and smiled.

“It’s wonderful, Sacred Den Master Belissar. If you would allow us, I’d like to begin moving in right away.”

Belissar blinked at that.

“Oh, ok. Um, I can move the existing resource nodes you gather from to here, but it will be a day or two before I can add anything more, if that’s ok?”

Chief Rohsuak smiled.

“You have already been beyond generous and accommodating, what you have already given us is plenty for now.”

Belissar stood there for a moment.

Chief Rohsuak shook her head with a light chuckle.

“It is we who should thank you. Thank you for everything, Sacred Den Master Belissar. I swear we shall repay your generosity.”

Metsaitti joined her in that and the two both saluted to him. Belissar fidgeted a bit, unsure of how to respond to that. Fortunately for him, he didn’t have to, as the two karnuq took their leave to organize the move. Niobee flew in front of him once they had separated.

Belissar slowly nodded, and then stretched out his hand for Niobee to land on.

“Yes, it’s just…I’m not use to people, um, thanking me for things. They used to just take whatever they wanted. It still feels weird but…I guess it’s not bad. Much better than before, if I’m honest…”