Pollenia shook her head.
"Oh, Mother pointed me to one just nearby. She said that's where she brought you from, too, so it must have incredible Drones."
Normally, I'd trust Ambrosia and Pollenia to arrange Polly's suitors. However, although I doubted these Drones were anything special—what if they *were*? Then my system sight would let me see at a glance whether they had good stats!
More importantly, I was brewing a plan on how to earn 1000 points in 120 days. Even fewer days, if things went well.
But for that, I needed to know more about other beehives in the area. Meeting other Drones, and perhaps even talking with them, would be the easiest way!
The age of peaceful expansion was coming to an end…
"That's great, Polly. You know, I want to look at this place, too. My experience will help you find a good consort!"
We flew the same day: only Pollenia, myself, and a squad of Warrior Bees as guards.
These bees were from the latest-trained batch. Thanks to the efforts of Craftsmen Bees, each of them had a set of spiky bone armor in addition to usual hammers.
Their genes were good, too, even if they were a month old.
〔Nurse Bee〕 〔Ally〕 〔Progeny〕
〔Active title〕: Warrior Bee
〔Species〕: Common Honey Bee
〔Remaining lifespan〕: 136 d
Flight, Barbed Stinger, Royal Jelly Production, Spikes I (temporary)
Enhanced Intelligence X, Technology: Primitive Containers, Increased Lifespan II, Fast Learner I, Enhanced Endurance II, Danger-Averse Reflexes, Venom Resistance I, Heat Resistance I, Enhanced Strength II, Enhanced Defense II, Meat Digestion, Increased Fertility II, Faster Regeneration II, Faster Youth Development I
Those strong bees carried their hammers and armor over long distances with ease.
And like my Advisers, these bees began coming up with their own names. So far, I've seen at least a few dozen names that had "hammer" in it. Hammerhead, Smashhammer, Hammer-Hammer, Lovehammer, Hammerlove, Fearhammer, Bloodhammer, Hammerhero, and so on.
After an hour of flight, we reached the Drone congregation area.
It was just an ordinary meadow in the forest, with some flowers blooming on a few trees. There, around a hundred Drone Bees were flitting from flower to flower, or just resting on tree branches and hiding from the searing sun.
The weather has been getting hotter and hotter lately. Must've been summer, although it was hard to tell without a calendar.
As soon as the Drones smelled our approach, all heads turned to us. Then…
"A Queen! I smell a Queen!"
"I have the most seed!"
"No, *I* am! Shut up!"
A Drone lunged at another. Immediately, a dozen brawls started all over the meadow. Drones attacked each other with their weak fists and tried to push opponents to the ground.
Meanwhile, Pollenia just hovered in the air, watching it all with mild interest.
"Hmm… I one a little. With longer hair." She pointed at one of the brawling Drones. "Look how he kicked that other Drone! Do you think he will make my daughters strong, Father?"
I scanned the Drone's status, alongside that of other Drones with him.
〔Species〕: Common Honey Bee
〔Remaining lifespan〕: 56 d
They all had about the same stats, with the only notable difference being the remaining lifespan.
And they had 3 intelligence, which really showed. I sighed.
"Oh, Polly. None of them are any good… They won't treat you right, any of them. You have to keep your Drone-Consort in an iron hold! Stone hold, I mean. Don't let him do anything stupid."
"Of course, Father. Just like Mother does with you."
"Oh, look, this one is about to get here!"
She pointed at a Drone who, while others were distracted with their battle royale, sneaked around the meadow and flew right toward us.
"Queen! Look at me!" the Drone shouted, thrusting his hips. "I will be yours!"
I grimaced and closed my eyes shut.
I *never* asked to look at naked men thrusting their hips at me. No amount of eye bleach was going to save me after this.
Then I heard a punch.
"No, *I* will be yours. Go away, you are weak!"
When I cautiously opened my eyes again, the sneaky Drone was being beaten up by the long-haired Drone, while Pollenia smiled.
"I will take both of you!" she declared. "And… And that one with a big nose, too! And the tall one over there!"
"Huh? Polly, you want to take *several* Drones?"
One of those blockheads was too much already!
"Of course, Father. If I like more than one of them, why should I choose? None of them are much good—you said it yourself. I'm just settling for whatever I can find."
I couldn't argue with this logic.
"Of course, Polly. If my precious daughter wants a harem, she can have it!" I'd rub Pollenia's head, but she was too far. A pity. "Take as many drones as you want—we can feed them all!"
Pollenia smiled at me.
While she was picking her Drones, I flew to the meadow and landed on the ground near one of the beaten-up rejects.
At my approach, he tried to get up and sneered at me, but I only smiled back.
"Don't worry, I'm not competing! I have a Queen already. Just tell me—where is your hive?"
The Drone frowned at me.
I spoke slowly, like to a child.
"The place where you live at. Where do you go to sleep?"
"Huuuuh? I won't tell you! I'm stronger than you and my dick is bigger!"
The Drone flexed his biceps and thrust his hips forward. This time, I closed my eyes before it was too late.
"Fucking hell! I'm ashamed to be the same gender as you!" I groaned, opening my eyes again. Then I cracked my knuckles. " It looks like I will have to get the answer *the hard way*."