Reincarnated To Evolve My Bee Empire - Chapter 78

Chapter 78: Spirit the lowest of the low
My heart broke a little.

‘I was so right to come here! These bees—their spirit is the lowest of the low! They probably think that they’d be more useful to the hive by dying! They are just so… BEES!’

These ones were so young, too. Barely out of their brood cells, and they didn’t even come up with their names yet. A few of them were actually my granddaughters, Pollenia’s children. It was easy to see in their stats.

〔Cleaning Bee〕 〔Ally〕 〔Progeny〕

〔Health〕: 12 / 22

〔Stamina〕: 20 / 21

〔Species〕: Common Honey Bee

〔Age〕: 18 d

〔Remaining lifespan〕: 88 d

〔Attributes〕

> Strength: 20

> Agility: 40

> Endurance: 19

> Defense: 19

> Intelligence: 80

> Perception: 43

〔Special abilities〕

Flight, Barbed Stinger

〔Genes〕

Enhanced Intelligence VIII, Increased Lifespan I, Fast Learner I, Enhanced Endurance II, Venom Resistance I, Heat Resistance I, Enhanced Strength II, Enhanced Defense I, Meat Digestion, Increased Fertility I, Faster Regeneration II, Faster Youth Development I

〔〕〔〕〔〕

They lacked some of my genes, and some others lost tiers. It was random—there were bees in Pollenia’s brood that got 100% of her genes, and those who got almost none.

But no matter what their stats looked like and who were their direct parents, in my heart, these girls were all my daughters *spiritually*!

I was going to convince them to strive toward living! But how?

My ill daughters kept looking at me with hopeful expressions. Waiting for answers.

‘Should I lie to them? No, no, I can’t risk my daughters’ trust like that—it will break their spirits even further if I give them false hope. I must come up with something better. Come on, come on… Use that giga-brain for something better than anxious thoughts, Nectus…’

“Father?” the drummer bee asked, tilting her head. “Why did your face scrunch like that?”

“Ah! I… It’s just sad to hear you think this way,” I said honestly. “You all are my beautiful, smart, hardworking daughters. You are *never* a drain on the hive resources.”

The sick bees looked at me with doubt.

“But we do nothing useful here. Even Researcher Bees don’t need so many sick people to make their tests! They could just keep a few.”

Another thing these bees missed. While their sisters were learning numbers and letters in school, these bees didn’t know how many fingers they had.

‘Fingers… writing… Ah! Yes, this should work!’

I grinned at the idea that struck me.

“Actually, there’s something you *can* do, which will be super useful! And *only* you can do it, so be proud.”

The surrounding bees gasped.

“Really?”

“What is it, Father?”

I raised a finger.

“First, we need wax tablets and writing sticks!”

Thankfully, there were plenty of both in the quarantine village—Researcher Bees used them to make notes. In no time at all, there was a wax tablet for each bee.

“Girls… You probably know that Paleness threatens not only you, but the entire Bee Empire. Right?”

“Yeah…”

“They tell us. It’s bad…”

“I saw a Forager Bee getting sick, too. Researchers were so curious about her, but so worried.”

I nodded gravely.

“Bees in the Hives Supremo and Hornet’s Nest worry for themselves and for you. And worry is dangerous. It makes it easier for you to get sick and harder to get better. It’s important for everybody to keep high morale—and this is what you will do. Come here, look!”

I flopped on the ground and took a wax tablet. As the sick bees gathered closer to watch, I drew a crude image of myself and them surrounding me.

It was just an assortment of stick figures, but I drew them all with big smiles.

“Ta-da!” I showed the drawing to the bees. “Look at this picture. What do you see?”

Bees thought for a minute.

“They are smiling… so they are happy?”

“Happy bees?”

“Yeah!” I nodded. “This is my wish for all of you. Wishes, they hold some power too, you know? Maybe this is just what you need to get better.”

“Wishes?”

“Yes! To draw your best wishes for yourself and the hive. Then other bees in our colony will see them and feel happier themselves. They will know you aren’t sad and will worry less.”

“This… does that really work?”

“Of course it does. C’mon! Draw your best.”

Following my example, the bees sat around and began drawing.

At first, it was going slow—they had a hard time even coming up with stuff to draw.

However, the more time passed, the more enthusiastic they became, sharing ideas and helping each other to draw the “best wish”. Smiles grew on their faces, and there was even some laugh.

Although they were still physically weak, now my daughters finally looked like they were enjoying themselves.

All because they were feeling useful, while not being bored!

Under the guise of “work” I taught them how to play. Perhaps right now, I was looking at future artists that will bring me cultural victory over the world!

Ah, no, there weren’t other cultures to win against.

But *I* had just culturally won, anyway.

“Alright, girls! Your father has to go. But I will visit again, I promise!”

I walked around, patting the head of all my girls, who gladly let me and even competed to get closer first.

“Thank you for coming, Father!”

“Thank you for teaching us all this!”

“Please, tell others not to worry about us!”

It warmed and tore my heart to see how affectionate they were. Without duties to harden their personalities, these bees were probably the most adorable of all my daughters!

I still had to leave them.

I spent several hours visiting other sick bees. This resting hall wasn’t the only one, and I convinced others to draw as well. Between walking from one hall to another, I also ordered more drawing materials for the quarantine village.

By the time I was done, it was so late that Ambrosia would probably start worrying.

But before that, there was one sick bee I still didn’t meet, and now, I went to her.