59. The Fathers of Bees (1)
[Bzzz!!]
The baby bee started chirping.
Like a newborn baby announcing its arrival with cries, it seemed to be declaring its own birth.
In the midst of the frantic chirping of the baby bee, the queen bee gently warmed the little one with her own body temperature.
The queen bee licked the baby bee and showed great care.
As the remaining eggshells and body fluids were removed, soon, fluffy golden-yellow hairs revealed its true form.
After soothing for a while, did it gradually calm down.
Only then did the sounds lessen bit by bit.
[Bzzz….]
Before long, the baby bee fell asleep with a soft, rhythmic breathing.
Unbeknownst to them, elves and moles alike gathered to secretly observe the scene.
It was the early morning when new life was born on this land for the first time.
***
A baby nocturnal rabbit bee.
Quite adorable, isn’t it?
But it was also a precious worker who would play a vital role as a new member of this land.
After observing the baby bee for a while, Han spoke up.
“Come to think of it, this little one has had the form of a small bee from birth. Don’t bees typically start from the larval stage?”
A peculiar occurrence.
The newborn was sporting the perfect form of a bee.
Though smaller in size, it was unmistakably what everyone commonly knew.
[Nocturnal Rabbit Bees, like mammals, start from the baby stage. The metamorphosis process present in bees on Earth does not exist for them.]
“I… is that so?”
It was a somewhat bewildering development.
An insect taking the form of an adult from birth.
Logically, it was certainly strange, but upon reflection, it wasn’t as bizarre as one might think.
After all, the little one was originally a being from a different world.
Even if something stranger were to happen now, it wouldn’t be surprising.
[These are monsters. Structurally and ecologically, they inherit all the characteristics of insects, but at the same time, they also possess many features of mammals, and are organisms with a type of developmental maturity that grows from infancy to full adulthood.]
Warm blood and flesh that would never exist in original insects.
And these creatures do have hearts.
Beneath their trembling yellow fur, just like in humans or animals, there are organs, skin, and warm body temperature all present.
[Bee-]
The young bee was gazing at a large hand.
Its long ears resembling a rabbit intermittently twitched up and down awkwardly.
What could this mean?
If you watch quietly, the system soon spoke.
[It’s an expression of delight. Nightbuzz bees often reveal many emotions through their rabbit-like ears. In a case like this, when they sway gently back and forth, it can be considered an expression of joy.]
“The newborn wouldn’t know who I am.”
[Nightbuzz bees prefer those with divine power. Warmth is one of the most preferred energies for those who inhabit cold polar regions.]
At that, Han turned to the side.
There was a chestnut tree still basking in the warm sun by the window.
As their gazes met, the leaves shook from side to side, expressing joy.
“….”
Han looked back at the young bee.
He slowly reached out to touch it.
Tap.
The young bee’s rabbit ear gently touched his index finger.
[Bee-]
It’s warm.
The warmth of the young bee was felt.
***
‘…Tiring.’
Two days had passed since the egg hatched.
It also meant that it had been two days since Han began feeding the young bee milk.
Until it becomes a complete honeybee adult, this posture seems likely to continue in the future.
[Bee-]
Extending its front legs, which seemed to shimmer like yellow paint, the young bee wriggled its short arms.
It seemed like it wanted more milk.
“Alright. Alright.”
Han petted the young bee and offered more milk.
The buzzing little thing soon calmed down and started to drink the milk.
Watching the young bee slurp up the milk with a long straw-like mouth, Han chuckled.
“Eating well.”
It was just milk for convenience, but in reality, it was nutritious food for the bee.
This was the first offspring of the queen bee to come here.
So that was the reason.
The queen bee clearly showed a special attention and interest.
Even though she was busy working, she would pause and peek at the baby being cared for from time to time.
Unlike humans, with just large and innocent eyes, her satisfaction was clearly conveyed.
Perhaps she seemed to quite like being taken care of.
Buzz buzz.
Sometimes, the baby bee would see Han’s hand and bite and suck on her fingers.
It often happened when she had finished all the milk but still felt lacking.
“Let go, will you?”
She shook cautiously, but somehow, it was not just a simple mistake that she held on with even more strength.
No, it didn’t seem like that.
Zap!
Rather, the baby bee, exerting more force on her legs, refused to let go of Han.
“Oh, goodness.”
This action contained a request for more milk.
It was a kind of whining.
However, to make more milk, she first had to detach the little one, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it, fearing that this small and fragile creature might get hurt.
The system watching over them did not hesitate to offer advice.
[The mixture of milk should consist of the right amount of water, juice, honey, and milk. It is the finest food for bees.]
“…Forget about that advice. Can’t you tell me a way to detach this little one? I’m exhausted, System.”
[Such a method does not exist.]
“Oh, my.”
When has Han ever dealt with a child?
Let alone holding a baby in her arms.
In the end, she had to wait for the baby bee to detach on its own.
The system, observing this, for some reason, added a comment that it wouldn’t usually make.
[Perhaps soon the baby bee will start to detach. It seems that the urge for sleep is gradually rising.]
“It’s been a while since you gave a proper advice.”
[I have always provided valid information and advice.]
Han wondered if something unexpected had happened.
Currently, she was in a state of constantly guarding the baby bee, unable to move away.
It may be hard to imagine this docile appearance.
In fact, this little one, not long after being born, demanded more than expected.
Continuously demanding milk, and if Han moved slightly away, the baby bee would cry restlessly and couldn’t leave her side.
Following him may feel good, but honestly, it’s quite tiring.
‘No wonder mothers all over the world say taking care of a baby is the hardest thing.’
Come to think of it, a memory that seemed like that surfaced.
Mother used to say such things.
Being a hunter was tough, but the most challenging time was when she had just given birth.
It seemed to carry such meaning.
It was a tiring job, but one couldn’t help but be concerned.
Even just by looking at her side, one could notice a significant decrease in the vigor of the queen bee, who was busy building her hive.
When she first arrived here, even trapped behind rough iron bars, the fuzzy fur color and wings had a certain luster, albeit appearing quite rough to the untrained eye.
It meant the color was fading.
At times, she would stumble unsteadily or sway as if about to fall from the ceiling.
“How is the queen bee’s condition now?”
[It’s not very good. She is currently very fatigued.]
“…I see.”
[However, such a situation is just a common, natural process in the ecosystem. As soon as the worker bees start their activities in full swing and begin assisting the queen bee, things will naturally improve.]
It seemed that the life of bees was tiring in many ways.
Building the hive all day, collecting nectar from flowers, feeding, making honey.
Not only were they busy outside, but inside the hive, they also had to care for the chirping young ones.
The reason why work continued tirelessly until late into the night was clear.
If it hadn’t been for the dwarves and elves lending a hand from time to time, the queen bee would have truly exhausted her strength if she had been alone.
“Here, take this.”
[Bzzz.]
Yumina offered a large mushroom water container.
As she extended it full of water, the queen bee obediently sipped from it.
“….”
Han, who had been silently observing, slowly closed his eyes, his head drooping.
Naturally, the hand that was feeding the milk also stopped.
The queen bee’s gaze flickered for a moment, revealing a hint of doubt.
[Bzzz-!]
The queen bee shouted loudly, waking up the dozing Han.
“…Oops. Fell asleep.”
He wiped away the drool.
Looking down, he saw the milk bottle that the worker bee had already finished off, chewing and pressing it.
He suddenly snapped back to reality.
“Yikes! I need to make a new batch of milk.”
Frantically mixing the milk, Han couldn’t help but chuckle involuntarily.
Am I already becoming a nanny bee?
No, it felt more like being in an embarrassing situation.
But this was a precious opportunity.
“If the bee colony thrives, this forest can flourish even more vibrantly than it is now.”
Being a support for the elves, a source of strength, and prosperity for the forest.
Even while dozing off, Han fed the milk.
Shaking it again to prevent the contents from settling, feeding again.
Shaking, feeding.
Such events repeated all day long.
A yawn popped out involuntarily.
It had been almost half a day since he started tending to the baby bees like this.
Once a little distance away, he couldn’t leave the buzzing, crying bundle alone in a frenzy.
It felt good to follow him, but honestly, it was quite exhausting.
“I want to get up a bit, but he doesn’t give me a chance.”
Still, after drinking some milk, he would feel better.
After his belly was full, he always seemed to fall asleep.
Finally, after a long day’s work, the baby bee buzzed softly and drifted off to sleep.
At last, he had some free time.
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“Yawwwn!”
Han, who finally got up from his seat, stretched lazily.
A sound escaped involuntarily.
The chestnut tree, basking in the sun, shivered as if startled by the sound.
Oh my!
His body felt stiff.
He had been sitting for so long that it felt like his body was stiffening.
“Ugh. Let’s take a break.”
Dragging his weary body, he sat on the sofa.
Once he leaned back, he didn’t want to get up again.
“….”
As his mind wandered, staring at the ceiling in a daze.
Click!
The television suddenly turned on.
“…Huh?”
Curious, he saw a remote neatly placed on a chestnut leaf.
Click. Click click.
As the leaf pressed the button, the channel changed.
Nice. Convenient.
Lately, this chestnut tree started enjoying watching broadcasts.
It couldn’t be a bad thing even for Han.
Thanks to it, the channels were being switched automatically.
[─So, Hunter Lee Sang-yoon. We’ve heard that you’re aiming for even higher-grade plants this time. Is that true?]
[That’s correct.]
“Hmm?”
Just then, the broadcast caught his attention on the screen.
Hunter Lee Sang-yoon, a plant shaman who mainly dealt with plants.
He was the star of today’s show.
Hunter Lee Sang-yoon gazed at the screen, wearing a confident smile.
[As you may already know, thanks to the consideration of the Korean government, I have been given the top priority for the conquest of the 1st-grade dungeon Extremis located in Ganghwado.]