We expected to reach the settlement by evening.
At our current pace, nothing should have delayed us.
The road Titania had prepared stretched ahead like a ribbon through the forest. Behind us, the stone knight golems quietly restored every section after the caravan passed, loosening the packed soil, replanting vegetation, and returning the forest to its natural state. Within an hour, there would be almost no sign that more than three hundred lamias had ever walked this way.
The younger lamias chatted excitedly as they marched.
Some compared the houses they imagined waiting for them.
Others wondered whether the great tree really touched the clouds.
The older huntresses laughed quietly while correcting their guesses.
Even the queen seemed unusually cheerful.
She slithered beside me with her hands clasped behind her back, humming a tune I didn't recognize.
"I still can't believe we're really leaving," she said, glancing back toward the distant forest.
"You miss your old home?"
She shook her head.
"I miss the memories."
Her smile became gentler.
"Not the cave."
"I hated that cave."
"It was damp."
"It smelled."
"It leaked whenever it rained."
She wrinkled her nose.
"I'll gladly leave it behind."
I couldn't help smiling.
"Yesterday you were crying because you were leaving."
"I can cry and still hate it."
"...Fair enough."
She laughed.
The caravan continued forward peacefully.
Mana drifted through the air like invisible mist.
Most of the lamias no longer noticed it consciously, but their bodies certainly did.
Those who had walked for two days without rest should have been exhausted.
Instead, they spoke happily among themselves while carrying loads that would once have required frequent breaks.
Small scratches received while traveling had already disappeared.
Sore muscles relaxed before anyone noticed them.
Mana worked silently.
Tiny adjustment after tiny adjustment.
Exactly as it had been designed.
"My lord."
Yaksha's voice suddenly broke the peaceful atmosphere.
He stopped walking.
Every one of his eight arms became still.
I immediately looked toward him.
"Report."
He knelt, placing one hand against the ground.
For several seconds he remained motionless.
The surrounding forest became strangely quiet.
Then he stood.
"Ground vibration confirmed."
His tone had become noticeably more serious.
"Large-scale movement."
"Direction?"
"Approximately one point seven kilometers."
"Closing rapidly."
The smile disappeared from the queen's face.
"What is it?" I asked.
Yaksha paused while processing the incoming data.
"Pattern indicates synchronized colony movement."
Another second passed.
"Estimated threat..."
He looked directly at me.
"...Ant swarm."
The queen froze.
Color drained from her face.
Around us, the experienced huntresses immediately stiffened.
One of them instinctively lowered herself until her ear almost touched the ground.
Her eyes widened.
"...He's right."
Another huntress did the same.
"They're coming..."
"They're really coming..."
The whisper spread through the caravan faster than wildfire.
"Ants."
"The ants."
"Ant army."
The younger lamias looked around in confusion.
Several children noticed the fear on their older sisters' faces and instinctively moved closer.
The queen quietly wrapped both hands around my arm.
Her grip trembled.
I turned toward her.
"They're that dangerous?"
She nodded immediately.
Her confident smile from moments ago had completely disappeared.
"You've seen the six-armed bear."
"I have."
"A hunting party can kill one."
She swallowed.
"They'll lose sisters."
"But they can still win."
She looked toward the forest.
"The ants..."
Her voice became quieter.
"...don't fight."
"They consume."
I remained silent.
She continued.
"When they march..."
"They don't stop."
"They strip everything."
"Animals."
"Trees."
"Nests."
She closed her eyes.
"The last time they came near our home..."
Eleven quietly continued where her mother couldn't.
"We lost twenty-three sisters."
Twelve lowered her gaze.
"They never even reached the cave."
"They volunteered."
I frowned.
"Volunteered?"
The queen nodded.
"A deterrence team."
"They smeared themselves with fresh blood."
"Then led the swarm away."
She smiled bitterly.
"They knew they wouldn't come back."
Silence followed.
No one needed to explain what happened afterward.
The younger lamias slowly understood.
One little girl quietly asked,
"...Why didn't everyone just run away?"
An older huntress knelt beside her.
"Because the ants would've caught us."
She gently stroked the child's hair.
"So the older sisters ran first."
"...to protect everyone else."
The child looked down without speaking.
I finally understood why even the queen was trembling.
This wasn't simply another dangerous monster.
It was a disaster.
An entire colony acting as one organism.
A force of nature.
I looked toward Yaksha.
"Visual confirmation?"
"Negative."
"The vegetation is obstructing line of sight."
"But vibration intensity continues increasing."
The ground began shaking.
Very slightly at first.
Then continuously.
Like distant thunder rolling beneath our feet.
Leaves rustled without wind.
Birds exploded into the sky.
Small animals fled across the road.
Even the insects around us disappeared.
The forest itself seemed to be running away from something.
The queen unconsciously pressed closer against my side.
"...Doctor."
For the first time since meeting her, I heard genuine fear in her voice.
Not fear for herself.
Fear for everyone behind her.
"I..."
She looked toward the children gathered inside the caravan.
"...please."
I gently placed my hand over hers.
"I won't let anything happen."
She looked at me.
Searching my face.
Perhaps wondering whether I truly understood what was approaching.
The truth was...
I probably didn't.
Not emotionally.
I had never watched friends volunteer to become bait.
I had never spent a century wondering whether an ant colony would someday erase everything I cared about.
But I did understand one thing.
These people had chosen to trust me.
If I failed here...
That trust would mean nothing.
I stepped away from the caravan.
"Yaksha."
"My lord."
"Protect the caravan."
"Your objective is simple."
"No hostile organism reaches the lamias."
Yaksha bowed deeply.
"Understood, my lord."
He drew his sword.
At the same moment, every stone knight golem responded.
One after another they marched into position around the caravan.
Tower shields locked together.
Creating a complete defensive ring around the lamias.
The younger children watched the massive stone warriors in awe.
The older huntresses remained tense.
One quietly approached me.
"My lord..."
"Walls won't stop them."
"I know."
"They climb."
"They dig."
"They melt wood with acid."
"They even build bridges from their own bodies."
She hesitated.
"I'm afraid..."
"...this won't be enough."
"It isn't."
I looked toward the approaching forest.
"That's why I'm not planning to fight them with walls."
The vibration became stronger.
Now everyone could hear it.
A low, continuous rumbling.
Thousands...
Perhaps tens of thousands...
Of tiny footsteps moving together.
I slowly removed my backpack.
The lamias watched silently.
Six Mana crystal floated into the air.
Soon it's break into dozens orbited around me.
Then hundreds.
The air itself began glowing faintly blue.
The Mana density increased so rapidly that even the younger lamias noticed it.
"...It's sparkling..."
One little girl whispered.
The queen stared upward.
"...Doctor."
I raised my right hand toward the forest.
"Stay behind the golems."
No one argued.
The first ant emerged from the undergrowth.
Nearly one meter tall.
Its black exoskeleton reflected the afternoon sunlight like polished armor.
Massive mandibles clicked together with enough force to split wood.
Behind it came another.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Then hundreds.
The forest floor disappeared beneath a living tide of black bodies.
Every tree seemed to be moving.
The younger lamias gasped.
Several instinctively stepped backward.
One huntress whispered with despair,
"...There are even more than last time."
The queen tightened her grip on her spear despite standing safely behind the golems.
She had already accepted that if my plan failed...
She would fight until the end.
I calmly watched the advancing swarm.
Then quietly spoke.
"Let's see..."
"...whether the god of this new world deserves that title."
The swarm advanced without hesitation.
There was no roar.
No battle cry.
Only the endless clicking of mandibles and the synchronized rhythm of countless legs striking the earth.
The sound alone was enough to make the younger lamias shiver.
The forest floor seemed alive.
The ants flowed around tree trunks like a black river, climbing over rocks and fallen logs without slowing. Those at the rear simply climbed over those in front, forming living ramps whenever an obstacle appeared.
No confusion.
No disorder.
One mind controlling thousands of bodies.
I narrowed my eyes.
"So this is what they've been fighting for a century..."
Even I had to admit it was an intimidating sight.
The queen slowly stepped beside me.
"Doctor..."
"Stay back."
"I know."
She looked at the approaching tide.
"If..."
She hesitated.
"If anything happens..."
"Take my daughters and run."
I turned toward her.
"What about you?"
A bitter smile appeared on her face.
"I've always been the one who stays behind."
"My mother died protecting me."
"My daughters protected me."
"If today becomes another one of those days..."
She lowered her eyes.
"...then it's finally my turn."
I gently flicked her forehead.
"...Ow."
She rubbed it while looking at me with watery eyes.
"What was that for?"
"Don't decide the ending by yourself."
She blinked.
Then I smiled.
"I said I'd protect all of you."
"That includes you."
The queen stared silently before lowering her head with a small smile.
"...Alright."
"I'll believe you."
Behind us, Yaksha finished deploying the defensive line.
"My lord."
"Formation complete."
The knight golems had formed three concentric rings around the caravan.
The outer ring carried tower shields.
The second held long spears.
The innermost ring remained beside the children and supply carts.
Even if the ants somehow broke through, they would still have to cross two additional defensive lines.
Yaksha stepped beside me.
"My lord."
"Permission to engage."
I glanced toward the approaching swarm.
"Negative."
He looked at me without complaint.
"I have another plan."
"Understood."
He stepped back immediately.
That was one of Yaksha's greatest strengths.
He loved battle.
Yet he never questioned my command.
His enthusiasm never overruled discipline.
The first ants finally reached the edge of the clearing.
Their antennae twitched rapidly.
Searching.
Analyzing.
Then they charged.
Straight toward the caravan.
I slowly released every Mana crystal from my backpack.
One after another they floated into the sky.
Hundreds.
Then thousands.
The air shimmered with concentrated Mana.
Even the sunlight seemed to bend around the glowing particles.
Several younger lamias looked upward in amazement.
"...There are so many..."
I extended my right hand.
The surrounding humidity immediately responded.
Mana began pulling water vapor from the warm forest air.
The concentration increased rapidly until a thin mist formed along the forest's edge.
The ants never slowed.
Perfect.
"Electrolysis."
Tiny arcs of electricity danced between the Mana particles.
Water molecules split apart.
Hydrogen drifted one way.
Oxygen another.
Normally the gases would immediately disperse.
Mana prevented that.
It guided them exactly where I wanted.
A narrow strip stretching across the entire forest boundary.
Several hundred meters long.
Only a few meters wide.
Invisible.
Odorless.
Waiting.
The queen watched the glowing Mana particles with confusion.
"What are you..."
I snapped my fingers.
A salamander spirit appeared.
Its tiny body raced across the invisible cloud.
The hydrogen ignited.
WHOOOM!
A wall of brilliant orange flame erupted across the forest.
The sudden explosion made several younger lamias scream in surprise.
Heat slammed into the caravan like a physical force.
The leading ants disappeared instantly.
Their black armor glowed red before collapsing into burning fragments.
The smell of scorched chitin filled the air.
The queen covered her mouth.
"...Doctor..."
The fire stretched from one end of the clearing to the other.
A perfect barrier.
The surviving ants never slowed.
Those behind simply climbed over the burning bodies of their nestmates.
One after another.
Driven by instinct alone.
"They're still coming!"
One huntress shouted.
"They don't care!"
"They don't understand fear," I replied calmly.
"Not individually."
The flames continued consuming the first ranks.
Yet the pressure behind them never weakened.
Soon burning ant corpses began piling high enough to create a ramp.
Exactly as I expected.
I slowly raised my left hand.
"Sylph."
Wind spirits appeared throughout the fire.
Instead of blowing the flames away...
They fed them.
Fresh oxygen poured into the inferno.
The fire instantly grew brighter.
Hotter.
Higher.
The wall of flame doubled in height within seconds.
Burning ant bodies became additional fuel.
The pile collapsed into blazing embers.
The ants behind climbed forward anyway.
Relentless.
Efficient.
Hopelessly predictable.
"They'll keep pushing..." Eleven whispered.
"They always do."
"Then we'll make them regret it."
The wind shifted.
Not naturally.
Under my command.
The entire wall of flame leaned forward.
Then surged into the forest.
The fire no longer defended the clearing.
It invaded the swarm itself.
Burning leaves ignited.
Dead branches burst into flame.
Dry bark became kindling.
The inferno spread through the undergrowth faster than any natural wildfire.
The heat intensified dramatically.
Plants released enormous amounts of water vapor as their cells ruptured.
Mana captured it immediately.
Again.
Electrolysis.
Hydrogen.
Oxygen.
More fuel.
The flames should have weakened as moisture escaped from the vegetation.
Instead...
They became even stronger.
The queen watched in stunned disbelief.
"...It's getting hotter."
I nodded.
"The forest is feeding it."
Normally water protects living plants from fire by absorbing heat through evaporation.
Mana bypassed that process entirely.
The escaping steam became fuel before it could cool anything.
The wildfire accelerated beyond anything nature could produce.
Towering trees ignited from their crowns downward.
Entire sections of forest collapsed into seas of orange.
Even the smoke behaved differently.
Wind spirits forced it upward, preventing it from drifting toward the caravan.
The lamias watched safely from behind the golems while an entire wall of forest transformed into a furnace.
The ants never even reached us.
Those still underground emerged only to find themselves inside an ocean of fire.
Others attempted to retreat.
Too late.
The dead pheromones released by Hundreds of burning ants spread rapidly through the colony.
For the first time...
The advance slowed.
Then stopped.
Yaksha narrowed his eyes.
"My lord."
"The formation is hesitating."
I nodded.
"They've calculated the losses."
More ants turned around.
Then more.
The black tide flowing toward us gradually reversed direction.
Retreat.
The nightmare that had hunted the lamias for generations was withdrawing.
Even so...
I kept my hand raised.
Retreating did not necessarily mean defeated.
Several flying forms suddenly burst from deeper within the burning forest.
Winged ants.
Larger than the workers.
The queen's eyes widened.
"The queens!"
Before anyone else reacted—
The enormous aerogel lens high above the battlefield shifted slightly.
Its focal point moved.
A brilliant white beam of concentrated sunlight flashed downward.
One winged ant vanished instantly.
A second beam followed.
Then a third.
Each strike lasted less than a heartbeat.
Yet every target exploded into incandescent fragments before reaching the clearing.
The younger lamias stared upward.
"...The sun..."
"...He's using the sun..."
At the same moment, blue-white lightning began dancing around my left arm.
Mana crystals linked themselves together in series.
The electrical potential climbed higher and higher.
Crack.
Crack.
Branches around me trembled beneath the static field.
The smell of ozone spread through the air.
The remaining winged ants abruptly changed direction before entering range.
Yaksha quietly glanced at my raised hand before looking back toward the retreating swarm.
"...My lord."
"Yes?"
"I believe they understand your message."
A faint smile crossed my face.
"I certainly hope so."
The lightning gradually faded.
The aerogel lens dissolved into countless sparkling particles.
Only then did I finally lower both hands.
The forest continued burning.
But the battle...
Was already over.
For several long seconds...
No one moved.
The only sound came from the crackling forest.
Burning trees groaned before collapsing into carpets of glowing embers. Thick columns of smoke climbed toward the sky, only to be caught by the waiting sylphs. Rather than allowing the smoke to drift over the caravan, the wind spirits guided it upward before carrying it away from us.
The air around the caravan remained surprisingly clear.
The younger lamias stared at the blackened forest with wide eyes.
Several still held their spears so tightly that their knuckles had turned white.
One of the huntresses slowly lowered her weapon.
"...They're gone."
Another swallowed.
"They..."
"...they actually retreated."
The words spread from one lamia to another.
"They're gone."
"The ants are gone."
"We're alive..."
The realization arrived gradually.
Not with cheering.
Not at first.
Only disbelief.
For generations, the appearance of an ant swarm had meant only one thing.
Someone would not be coming home.
Every huntress standing here had grown up hearing those stories.
Every child had learned exactly what to do if the alarm was ever raised.
Run.
Protect the young.
Pray the sacrifice team bought enough time.
That had always been the only answer.
Until today.
Yaksha slowly returned his sword to its sheath.
The metallic click echoed through the silent clearing.
"My lord."
He bowed respectfully.
"Hostile force has completely withdrawn."
He paused briefly while his sensors continued scanning the surrounding forest.
"No remaining hostile contacts detected within operational range."
I nodded.
"Stand down."
"Yes, my lord."
Yaksha immediately relayed the order.
The knight golems lowered their shields almost simultaneously.
Rows of stone giants returned to a resting stance, their weapons pointed harmlessly toward the ground.
Even after the order was given, the lamias remained where they were.
Many seemed afraid to believe the battle was truly over.
The queen slowly stepped away from the protection of the golems.
She looked toward the burning forest.
Then toward me.
Her green eyes trembled.
"So..."
"...that's it?"
I looked at the retreating fire.
"That's it."
She stared for another moment.
Then suddenly closed the distance between us.
Without saying a word, she wrapped both arms around mine and rested her forehead against my shoulder.
"I'm sorry..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"For what?"
She shook her head.
"For doubting you."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"When Yaksha said it was an ant swarm..."
"I..."
She laughed weakly at herself.
"For just a moment..."
"I thought you were going to leave us."
"I thought..."
"...this was where our story ended."
She took a slow breath.
"I've spent over a hundred years preparing myself for that day."
"When an ant swarm comes..."
"You don't think about winning."
"You only think about who has to die."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"I hated myself for thinking that..."
"...after everything you've done for us."
I gently placed a hand on her head.
"That's understandable."
She looked up.
"No."
"It isn't."
"It is."
I smiled softly.
"Trust isn't built in a week."
"You've survived because you've learned to expect the worst."
"If anything..."
"I'd be worried if you trusted me immediately."
The queen laughed through her tears.
"...You're terrible at accepting compliments."
"I've been told that."
She wiped her eyes before taking a deep breath.
When she turned back toward her daughters...
The queen of the lamias had returned.
"My daughters!"
Hundreds of faces immediately looked toward her.
She raised one arm proudly toward me.
"Behold!"
"The one standing before you..."
"...is our king."
Her voice echoed through the clearing.
"The nightmare that hunted our people for generations..."
"...has fled before him."
She spread both arms toward the blackened forest.
"You've all seen it with your own eyes."
"There was no trick."
"No sacrifice."
"No retreat."
"No sisters left behind."
"Not one."
Many huntresses lowered their heads.
Some quietly began crying.
Not from fear.
From relief.
The queen continued.
"For over a hundred years..."
"We survived."
"We endured."
"We ran."
She smiled.
"But from today onward..."
Her eyes shone with hope.
"...we no longer have to live that way."
She turned back toward me.
"So long as we stand beneath our king's protection..."
"...we have nothing to fear beneath this blue sky."
This time the silence lasted only a heartbeat.
Then cheers erupted throughout the caravan.
Some of the younger lamias jumped excitedly.
Several huntresses embraced one another.
Others simply laughed until tears streamed down their faces.
One elderly lamia quietly knelt on the road.
"...We really survived..."
Watching them...
I couldn't help thinking how different our perspectives were.
To me, this had been a tactical problem.
Assess the enemy.
Determine its behavior.
Exploit its weakness.
To them...
I had destroyed a century-old nightmare.
The queen walked back beside me with a smile that looked far lighter than before.
"Doctor."
"Hm?"
"I think they really believe you're a god now."
"I was hoping for something less troublesome."
She giggled.
"I wasn't."
She proudly slipped her arm around mine again.
"I married one."
I sighed.
"I still don't remember agreeing."
"You smiled."
"I did not."
"You did."
"I definitely didn't."
She laughed.
"Close enough."
Yaksha approached from behind.
"My lord."
"What is it?"
"The golems await further instructions."
I looked toward the blackened forest.
The fire had already begun dying as available fuel was consumed.
Ash drifted lazily through the air.
"Have them bury every ant carcass."
Yaksha nodded.
"As fertilizer?"
"Exactly."
"The nutrients shouldn't be wasted."
"The forest will recover."
"Just as it always has after wildfires."
"Understood."
Yaksha immediately transmitted the command.
The stone golems marched into the burned forest.
Using their enormous hands, they dug long trenches through the still-warm soil.
Thousands upon thousands of ant bodies disappeared beneath layers of ash and earth.
Nature would reclaim them.
New plants would grow.
New insects would come.
Life would continue.
I looked toward the horizon.
The towering Mana tree was now much larger than before.
Even from this distance its crown stretched beyond the clouds.
Home was no longer an idea.
It was visible.
The queen followed my gaze.
"...We're close."
"We are."
She smiled.
"I've never looked forward to tomorrow this much."
"So..."
She glanced sideways at me.
"...what miracle are you planning to surprise us with next?"
I couldn't help smiling.
"I suppose..."
"You'll find out when we arrive."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"I don't like surprises."
"You say that now."
"Because every surprise you've given me so far has changed my life."
She looked ahead once more.
"...I wonder..."
"...what kind of home you've prepared for us."
The caravan resumed its march.
The atmosphere had changed completely.
Only an hour earlier every step had been heavy with fear.
Now the younger lamias talked excitedly among themselves while the older huntresses walked with noticeably lighter expressions. The knight golems continued escorting the caravan in disciplined silence, while several remained behind to finish burying the ant carcasses beneath the scorched earth.
The forest would heal.
Given enough rain, sunlight, and time, fresh plants would reclaim the burned ground. The buried insects would return to the soil as nutrients, completing a cycle that had repeated long before humanity ever appeared.
Nature was remarkably efficient at repairing itself.
The queen looked back once before facing forward again.
"I don't think anyone will miss that colony."
"Probably not," I replied.
She smiled.
"Neither will the forest."
...
By noon we reached the river I had followed when traveling toward the mountain with the children.
The water flowed calmly between smooth stone banks, reflecting the blue sky overhead. Several giant fish could be seen beneath the clear surface before disappearing into deeper water.
I raised a hand.
"We'll stop here for lunch."
The caravan gradually spread out beneath the shade of several enormous trees.
Some lamias began unpacking dried meat and fruit.
Others fetched water from the river.
Several huntresses immediately inspected the surrounding area before relaxing.
"This is where our hunting grounds ended," one of them explained while pointing across the river.
"We never crossed."
"Why?" I asked.
She exchanged glances with the others.
"Something lives over there."
"A giant creature in the river."
"We've only seen its shadow."
"Sometimes it drags large animals beneath the water."
Another huntress nodded.
"We avoid crossing."
"The risk isn't worth it."
Interesting.
Whether it was another Pandora mutation or an undiscovered species remained to be seen.
My attention shifted when another huntress spoke.
"We've seen... people... across the river before."
"People?"
She hesitated.
"...Not exactly."
"The upper body looked like a woman."
"But the lower body..."
She gestured with both hands.
"...A giant spider."
"Arachne..." I murmured.
She tilted her head.
"You know them?"
"I know the name."
Not the species.
Only mythology.
Another huntress joined the conversation.
"I've also seen something else."
"A giant wolf."
"It walked on two legs."
"But..."
"It had a human face."
I immediately became interested.
More stable Pandora-derived lifeforms.
If they possessed intelligence, then they represented something far more valuable than biological samples.
They represented another surviving civilization.
"I'd like to investigate them one day."
The queen, who had been quietly listening while drinking water, slowly lowered her cup.
"Oh?"
I looked toward her.
"So..."
She smiled knowingly.
"You've already become interested in other people."
"I mean scientifically."
"Of course."
She nodded with exaggerated seriousness.
"Scientifically."
Several nearby huntresses giggled.
The queen pointed across the river.
"There are plenty of stories about what's over there."
She looked back at me.
"But..."
"You'll hear them from me later."
"I don't want everyone exaggerating things."
I smiled.
"That's fair."
Satisfied, she returned to her lunch.
...
After everyone had eaten, I walked toward the riverbank.
The queen followed curiously.
"What are you making this time?"
"Water."
She blinked.
"...Doctor."
She looked at the river.
"We already have water."
"Clean water."
I scooped up a handful of river clay.
Under the influence of Mana, the clay quickly reshaped itself into a ceramic vessel.
Fire spirits baked it until the surface hardened into smooth pottery.
The queen watched with obvious interest.
"You never stop inventing things."
"I stopped inventing."
"I started rebuilding."
I filled the container with river water before assembling a small thermoelectric unit around its upper section.
Heat slowly transferred upward.
Steam condensed against the cooled lid before dripping into a second chamber.
Several younger lamias gathered around to watch.
"So..."
One asked.
"The dirty water goes in..."
"And clean water comes out?"
"Essentially."
I poured the condensed water into a wooden cup.
Then held it out toward the queen.
"A drink for Your Majesty."
She accepted it with a playful smile.
"...Cold."
She took another sip.
"And surprisingly sweet."
"Distilled water often tastes different."
She nodded thoughtfully before raising her little finger with theatrical elegance.
"Next time..."
"...Carbonated."
Several nearby lamias laughed.
I simply shook my head.
"I'll add that to the list."
"Excellent."
She smiled proudly.
"I knew you were reliable."
The other lamias received filtered water instead.
Mana formed a microscopic ceramic membrane that removed sediment and harmful organisms before the water reached their containers.
It wasn't distilled, but it was more than safe enough.
Watching them drink clean water without hesitation reminded me how much of civilization depended upon invisible infrastructure.
People rarely appreciated clean water.
Until they no longer had it.
...
The journey continued beside the river.
As the afternoon passed, the mountain gradually grew larger.
Then the trees finally opened.
The caravan slowed almost instinctively.
Before them stood the World Tree.
Even after seeing it several times myself, its scale remained difficult to comprehend.
Its trunk alone rose like the wall of a mountain fortress.
Countless branches spread across the sky before disappearing into the clouds.
Sunlight reflected from millions of leaves, making the crown appear almost luminous.
Not a single lamia spoke.
The younger children stared upward with open mouths.
Several older huntresses unconsciously lowered their weapons.
The queen finally broke the silence.
"...It's beautiful."
"It still has a long way to grow," I replied.
She slowly looked at me.
"...You're serious."
"I am."
She quietly decided not to ask how something that already dwarfed mountains could still be growing.
As the caravan continued following the river, the forest gradually became thinner until the view suddenly opened before us.
The queen slowly stopped.
Every lamia behind her did the same.
Before us stood an entire mountain range stretching from east to west like a giant stone wall separating the continent.
At its center rose the World Tree.
Its trunk grew directly from the mountainside behind the laboratory, towering so high that its crown disappeared into the clouds. Even from this distance it dominated the landscape, making the surrounding mountains look almost small in comparison.
I pointed toward it.
"The laboratory is built inside the mountain beneath that tree."
The queen followed my finger.
"So your home is actually inside the mountain?"
"Yes."
"The laboratory predates the collapse."
"It was originally hidden inside the mountain for security."
She nodded slowly.
Then her eyes drifted downward.
The river we had been following split into several smaller channels.
"They weren't here before."
"They weren't."
"Titania diverted part of the mountain stream."
The water flowed through carefully constructed canals lined with fitted stone.
One branch continued toward the children's village.
Another flowed toward the lamia settlement.
The remaining water returned to the main river farther downstream.
"The river is the center of everything."
I continued explaining while we walked.
"It supplies drinking water."
"It irrigates farmland."
"It marks the boundary between villages."
"And eventually returns to the river after treatment."
The queen looked impressed.
"So both villages share the same source."
"Exactly."
"That also means neither village has to compete for water."
I nodded.
"Water has started more wars than gold."
"I prefer solving that problem before it exists."
She laughed quietly.
"That's a very Doctor-like answer."
The valley itself resembled a giant circle surrounding the mountain.
The laboratory and World Tree occupied the center.
The children's village rested near the southern foothills.
The lamia village occupied the eastern side next to it. where the terrain remained slightly warmer and more humid.
Wide farmland separated both settlements from one another.
"If you looked from above..."
I smiled.
"It would probably resemble a pizza."
The queen blinked.
"...A pizza?"
"The laboratory is the center."
"The villages are slices around it by the river"
She stared at me for several seconds.
"...That's the strangest geographical explanation I've ever heard."
"It works."
"I suppose it does."
As the caravan entered the lamia settlement, the younger daughters immediately became excited.
Unlike ordinary houses, every home was built as a partially buried dome.
Half of the structure disappeared beneath the ground.
The curved shape reduced heat loss during winter while keeping the interior cool during summer.
Only the upper hemisphere remained visible.
Each entrance sat nearly a meter above ground level.
One younger lamia tilted her head.
"Why is the door so high?"
"So rainwater can't flow inside."
I pointed toward the slope surrounding the entrance.
"The ground naturally drains away from the house."
"Water follows gravity."
"If the entrance were lower..."
"...every storm would flood your living room."
Several huntresses nodded immediately.
"That happened in the cave all the time."
"The roof..."
Another lamia pointed upward.
"...It's glass?"
"A transparent Mana crystal."
"It lets sunlight illuminate the center of the house during the day.And become light source after the sun set"
"No torches are necessary."
The younger lamias immediately looked inside.
The central room was bright despite every lamp being switched off.
Light entered through the circular skylight before spreading across white plaster walls.
From the central living room four doorways branched outward.
Kitchen.
Bedrooms.
Bathroom.
Storage.
Everything connected through the middle, making movement easy regardless of the direction a lamia's tail faced.
The queen slowly looked around.
"...You designed these specifically for us."
"Of course."
"I measured your anatomy."
She immediately crossed her arms.
"...Doctor."
"...That sounded much stranger than you intended."
"...Probably."
She laughed.
Outside each dome stood a cylindrical water tank raised upon a sturdy wooden platform.
One huntress pointed toward it.
"What's that?"
"Fresh water."
"The tank is filled manually every morning."
"The height creates pressure."
"Open a tap inside..."
"...and gravity carries the water through pipes."
Another lamia crouched beside a pipe entering the ground.
"What happens after we use it?"
"It leaves through another pipe."
I pointed toward a grove of trees farther downhill.
"There."
Hidden beneath the trees lay several deep treatment pits lined with stone.
"The waste settles underground."
"Water slowly filters through the soil."
"The remaining nutrients become fertilizer."
"The trees absorb them."
"So nothing is wasted."
The queen looked genuinely impressed.
"...Even our waste becomes useful."
"Nature has done that for billions of years."
"I merely copied the idea."
She smiled.
"I think I'm beginning to understand why everyone keeps calling you Doctor instead of King."
"I prefer Doctor."
"I know."
She laughed.
"But your kingdom is becoming rather difficult to ignore."
The queen quietly watched her daughters exploring.
For the first time since I had met her...
She cried without trying to hide it.
Not from grief.
From relief.
"They finally have a home."
She wiped away her tears before smiling at me.
"...Thank you."
I simply nodded.
"There are still many things left to build."
"But this is a beginning."
The queen looked toward the largest building near the foot of the mountain.
Unlike the dome houses, it stood two stories tall.
White walls.
Large windows.
A tiled roof.
A water tower beside it.
It looked almost completely out of place among the simpler homes.
She slowly pointed.
"...What's that?"
I smiled.
"Your residence."
She stared at me.
"My..."
"...Mine?"
"You asked for a human house."
"So Titania and I built one."
For several long moments she said nothing.
Then, with slow, uncertain steps, she walked toward the front door.
Behind her, hundreds of lamias watched their queen enter the first true home she had seen since the collapse of civilization.
The queen stood silently before the two-story house.
She didn't move.
Neither did anyone behind her.
Compared to the earthen domes prepared for her daughters, the building looked almost surreal.
White plaster walls reflected the afternoon sunlight.
Large glass windows overlooked the valley below.
A red tiled roof crowned the structure, while a stone chimney rose from one side. Beside the house stood a water tower supported by thick timber pillars, its storage tank already filled from the mountain spring.
A brick pathway led to the front door.
Flower beds had already been prepared, although only young seedlings had begun to grow.
The queen slowly turned toward me.
"...You built this for me?"
"You asked for a human house."
"I remembered."
She looked back at the building.
"I... never thought you actually would."
"You've spent a century adapting yourself to the forest."
I smiled faintly.
"I thought it was time the world adapted itself to you for once."
She lowered her head.
"...Thank you."
Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.
Behind her, the younger lamias began whispering excitedly among themselves.
"So that's Mother's house?"
"It's huge."
"Does she really get all of that?"
One of the older huntresses laughed.
"She deserves it."
The queen took a deep breath before placing her hand upon the brass handle.
The door opened smoothly.
She froze once more.
Cool air drifted gently from inside.
Not cold.
Comfortably cool.
The room smelled faintly of freshly cut timber rather than damp stone.
Sunlight poured through the windows onto polished wooden flooring.
At the center stood a comfortable sitting area surrounding a stone fireplace.
Bookshelves lined one wall.
A staircase curved upward to the second floor.
The queen slowly stepped inside.
Her footsteps echoed softly across the wooden floor.
She instinctively looked upward.
"No cave ceiling..."
She whispered to herself.
"...No dripping water..."
She reached out to touch the wall.
Smooth.
Dry.
Warm.
Not rough stone.
Not packed earth.
Wood and plaster.
Exactly as she remembered from the old world.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
"I almost forgot..."
"...what a house feels like."
Eleven and Twelve quietly followed behind.
Neither spoke.
Both simply looked around in amazement.
I walked inside after them.
"The first floor contains the living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, and storage."
I pointed toward another doorway.
"The kitchen."
The queen immediately wandered inside.
Rows of cupboards.
A broad wooden countertop.
A deep ceramic sink.
Several clay containers for grain and dried food.
She rested a hand on the counter.
"...It's bigger than my entire old bedroom."
I smiled.
"You'll probably still complain."
She looked over her shoulder.
"I definitely will."
She grinned.
"Because now I know you can fix it."
I laughed quietly.
"Fair enough."
She noticed a strange metal cabinet standing against the wall.
"...What's this?"
"A refrigerator."
She blinked.
"...You rebuilt one?"
"A simplified version."
I opened the insulated door.
Cool air escaped.
Several ceramic containers already rested inside.
"The cooling system uses thermoelectric Mana modules instead of compressors."
She gently reached inside.
"...Cold..."
Her expression immediately brightened.
"So I can preserve food?"
"Much longer than drying or smoking."
She turned toward Eleven.
"We're keeping fruit in here."
Eleven nodded.
"And meat."
Twelve immediately added.
"And fish."
The queen folded her arms thoughtfully.
"...Ice cream."
I raised an eyebrow.
"You don't even know if milk still exists."
"It will."
She looked completely confident.
"My husband—"
She paused before correcting herself with a small cough.
"...Doctor."
"...will figure it out."
I shook my head.
"You certainly have confidence in me."
"Of course."
She smiled.
"You've given me no reason not to."
We continued through the house.
The bathroom fascinated the three lamias even more.
The queen turned the tap experimentally.
Water flowed immediately.
She looked at me in disbelief.
"...No bucket?"
"The water tower."
I pointed through the nearby window.
"The elevated tank provides pressure."
"The golems refill it every morning until everyone learns the system."
She slowly turned the tap off.
Then on again.
Then off.
Then on.
Eleven quietly smiled.
"...Mother."
"What?"
"I think it works."
"I know."
She turned it once more anyway.
"...It's satisfying."
The next room contained the boiler.
Copper pipes extended throughout the house.
"The boiler heats water for bathing."
The queen looked genuinely shocked.
"...Hot baths?"
"Whenever you want."
She looked at Eleven.
"We're bathing every day."
Eleven laughed.
"I don't think anyone will object."
We climbed the staircase.
The second floor contained a study overlooking the valley.
Several empty bookshelves waited against the walls.
A writing desk stood beside the window.
The queen slowly walked toward it.
She looked out across the settlement.
Below us, hundreds of lamias explored their new homes.
Children ran laughing between the domes.
Older huntresses inspected irrigation canals and storage buildings.
Stone golems quietly unloaded the remaining supplies.
Beyond everything...
The enormous World Tree rose into the heavens.
The queen stood quietly for several minutes.
"...Beautiful."
"I thought you'd like the view."
"I do."
She looked at me.
"...It almost feels real."
"It is real."
"I know."
She smiled sadly.
"I just spent so long surviving..."
"...that living feels unfamiliar."
Neither of us spoke.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable.
Only peaceful.
A knock came from downstairs.
One of the knight golems bowed.
"My lord."
"Lady Titania has arrived."
I smiled.
"Perfect timing."
The queen looked curious.
"...She's here?"
"She is."
Together we descended to the entrance hall.
Waiting outside stood a familiar black-haired android.
Her maid uniform was immaculate as always.
Behind her stood three nervous young adults carrying small boxes of bread, fruit, preserved vegetables, and fresh clothes.
Titania offered a graceful bow.
"Welcome home, Oberon."
Then she turned toward the queen.
"You must be Lady Lizabeth."
The queen instinctively straightened.
"And you..."
"...are Titania."
For several seconds the two women simply looked at one another.
Then Titania smiled warmly.
"I've heard quite a lot about you."
The queen gave me a sidelong glance.
"...Only good things, I hope."
Titania's smile widened just enough to become teasing.
"Mostly."
I quietly sighed.
Somehow...
I had a feeling the laboratory was about to become considerably livelier than it had been for the past century