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Chapter 713 - Royal High Tea pt 2
🕑 Added 2021-02-10 09:52:14 +0000 UTCEnid wasn't sure if the three gigantic ants were just humouring her or were in fact genuinely interested in the tea. She'd brought it along for herself, a long conversation, even a mental one, needed a good cup of tea in order to keep the thoughts flowing smoothly. They were quite the curious trio however, so she had brought a few extra cups, the largest that she had, in the event that they might want some. Even so, she was most surprised when the Queen took up her offer, quickly followed up by the other two each requesting a cup.
So it was that Enid Ruther, retired merchant and mayor of Renewal, found herself pouring tea for three massive ants as they crowded around her table, watching her every move with agog fascination.
[After the brew has steeped for a while, the flavour seeps out of the leaves and into the water,] she explained, [usually it doesn't take long, but some plants require more steeping than others. Certain mana rich leaves might need to be soaked overnight, or so I've heard.] She shrugged as she carefully poured. [I'm not certain where your children managed to source this particular variety from, but the flavour is excellent, if I do say so myself.]
She poured a cup for each of them, ensuring that the pot didn't drip, then took a small pouch from one of her pockets.
[Would anyone care for some sugar?] she asked. [I managed to grab some from my hidden supply in my house during my last visit. It's a bit of a luxury, but an old woman needs to keep her energy up, so I say.]
The three ants looked curiously at the small pouch.
[What is this sugar, that you speak of?] the Queen asked. [I do not believe I have heard of it.]
[Oh, I'm a little surprised to hear that, considering how the regular surface ants are crazy about the stuff. Though I don't know where you would find a source of sugar down here…]
Enid reached into her pouch and pinched a small amount of the tiny crystals in between her fingers and brought it out for them to see.
[It’s a flavouring that we make from sugar cane, a crop that is grown in some places on the surface. It's quite rare in these parts and I brought this pouch with me when I fled my home during the last wave. There isn't much left I'm afraid, but you are certainly welcome to try it. It has a strong, sweet flavour, so rather than eat it directly, we would normally mix in other things, such as a nice cup of tea, or something like these biscuits I brought with me.]
The Queen brought her head closer in order to better inspect the contents of Enid's hand and the mayor forced herself not to flinch as the giant monster loomed over her, the hidden mouth behind the mandibles plainly visible for a rare moment. The antennae drifted over the sugar, smelling the tiny granules that she held in her hand, brushing against them.
[It smells, energizing. Like mana packed into a small space.]
[They are known to house a lot of energy, which is why I suppose most insects will go out of their way to hunt it down. I have to be very careful with my sugar, otherwise it gets stolen by ants in a heartbeat.]
The Queen jerked her head up.
[Which ants are have been thieving?! My children wouldn't dare!] Her antennae swished with rage and for a moment it appeared as if she would stride over to Coolant and thwack her right there and then.
[Ah! I meant non-monstrous ants, from the surface!] Enid quickly clarified herself as she held up her finger and thumb, indicating the size of 'normal' ants, [tiny little ones. They can smell the sugar from quite far away and will hunt it down relentlessly. As far as I know, no member of your Colony has ever tasted the stuff.]
The Queen (and Coolant) relaxed.
[I see. I would like some sugar in my tea. Thank you, friend Enid.]
Victoriant and Antionette also enthusiastically requested some sugar be added, so Enid happily mixed a generous spoonful into each of their cups, and then her own.
[Please enjoy,] she said.
It took Enid a moment to realise that none of them were moving, each of the Queens watching her intently rather than making any attempt to drink. It took her another moment to realise that they had no idea howto drink, and were waiting on her to demonstrate. Chuckling to herself, she reached out and picked up her cup, gripping it by the handle and around the brim, which she brought to her lips and sipped.
"Ahhhh," she exhaled.
Where did the Colony manage to source these leaves? They were amongst the best she had ever tasted. Were they seized during the capture of Rylleh?
The three ants watched the tiny human drink from her cup before turning their attention toward their own, miniature drinking vessels. Enid had small, nimble hands, perfect for drinking from such a dainty vessel, but how were they supposed to do it? Their claws were strong, possibly too strong. If they tried to grip the cup and bring it to their mouths, they would surely break. Pick it up in their mandibles? Impossible. Their mouth was beneath the mandibles. How could they drink from the cup if they picked it up this way?
In the end, the Queen solved the issue by having the three of them take turns lowering their head down to the table and drink their tea directly from the cup without picking it up. Generously, she allowed her daughters to go first, then she drank her own. The taste was… different. Unique. She had never eaten any 'human food' before, only Biomass, so was quite unprepared for the flavour. At first she wasn't sure that she enjoyed it. The heat, the lack of meatiness, none of the tell-tale savour that Biomass provided. Yet, there was something compelling about it. The bitterness of the leaves combined with the faint sweetness that faded all too swiftly.
That flavour… it was intriguing. Enervating. She felt a slight tingle rush through each of her limbs as the sugar laced tea slid into her stomach.
[How did your majesties find it?] Enid asked, amused.
Each of them had become immediately still upon drinking the tea, even their antennae, normally constantly in motion, had become stiff with focus. It had looked so comical that she'd had to force herself not to laugh out loud. Now she wondered if she might have made a mistake. Would introducing sugar to the Colony cause some issues? Surely not, right? They were a race of giant ants that fed on mana and Biomass. They didn't have any need for an energy rich food source like sugar.
The Queen turned her attention to the biscuits.
[Friend Enid, do these also contain the sugar?]
Enid looked down at her small plate of ginger nuts, a family recipe that her husband had adored.
[Yes they do. Would you like one?]
The Queen nodded her assent, her focus intent on the bikkies. Trying to hide her smile, Enid placed three biscuits around the table and watched as the huge Queens lowered their mouths to the table and gobbled them down in half a bite.
[I apologise for their small size,] Enid said, [I had intended to eat them as we spoke as they go perfectly alongside tea. If I'd been more thoughtful I would have tried to bake some a little larger. Are you even able to taste them, given how small they are?]
[We can,] the Queen confirmed, somewhat dreamily. [The flavour is faint, but it is there, along with a slight crunch that I find appetising.]
[A good biscuit needs a good crunch,] Enid confirmed, [if they aren't baked correctly, then they're too soft. Overbake them, and they turn hard and bitter. Proper baking is all about the timing.]
[Interesting,] the Queen said. [I thank you for your gifts, friend Enid. May I enquire how your people fare on the surface?]
She wasn't especially interested in the humans, but she had learned through repeated conversations with the mayor that enquiring about things the person you were 'chatting' with cared about was a common opening gambit. So she listened with interest as Enid described the goings on of the people, and answered with great detail as Enid turned the conversation back to her, enquiring about life in the Colony and how her children fared. As usual, she took a great pleasure in the exchange, although this time a part of her mind lingered on something else.
That night, as Enid returned to her chamber to rest, the first of many hunting parties was launched. These ants would scour the Dungeon and surface with great zeal, for their mother had made a request, and what mother wanted, she would get!
No matter where this 'sugar-cane' hid, the Colony would find it!
Comments
Storm
howto drink (how to drink)
Arnold Jerome Rolle
The torpor police will confiscate these illicit sugar cubes and grant you 3 days of forced torpor and "the works" treatment as punishment!
Desurtfawks
Well yeah, she is the queen after all.
Forstec
How dare you. Don't ever say something like that again.
Forstec
Gandalf dammit, look what you did now, Enid. You introduced the Colony to drugs.
Melancholyforus
I also like the queen admonishing Anthony for wasting resources and being irresponsible but she sends hunting parties for a luxury they don’t need during a time of great need and duress sounds almost human ?
Melancholyforus
Eh sugar makes more sense than them liking tea especially if you pumped a bunch of mana into the sugar.
Damon English
The epic tale of Croissant and her struggle to become The Queen of Cooking.
Ulbert
It has been done. I am ready to welcome Spiffant for all things tea. Now. There is only one specialist in all of fiction that can bake the perfect biscuit. But I doubt it would be fitting into this fiction. 173 is just too specific of a creature.
Anthony Romanov
Finally merchants will have something to trade to the Colony and ants will diversify in different products to trade for S(ugar) currency. Sleep police will manage sugar distribution to rest of Colony as payment for 8 hour torpor. That way ants that want sugar will need to sleep or (smuggle) sugar. And smuggling is going against Elder and Mothers something that NO ant will do.
the_Famus_Temmie
the queens already fit this role even having a larger size than other ants. also it is well known that mana enriched varients of plants exist and would probably be healthier for monsters.
ZaA
Seeing as baking has just been mentioned along with the knowledge of sugar, I can almost see a future where the ants basically turn the world into America. Big obese people everywhere. No need to stay fit and healthy because there's "no monsters" anymore (there is, but the millions/billions of ants below the surface take care of them). Eventually the ants become strong enough and their culture and species evolves enough that some ants don't feel the need to PROTECT the colony, but are fine, instead, of providing for it by choosing to not have mana cores so they can remain on the surface to farm sugar and fruits and stuff. As fun and simple as this is, it definitely makes you think about the implications of normal ants that love sugar... but are actually not normal, but, in fact, monstrous and sapient.
Alan McBrayer
Good to see the ants gaining a vice beyond working too hard.
Aertheron
Vibrant on a sugar high...
Aertheron
So not caffeine but sugar haha
Chase Stone
Gordant and rantsey
Yeno Memevig
Ha still have the demon iseki chapters to go.
Greyg
Cute but happy the filler chapters are finished
Marter
Oh no😱
Variation
Absolutely love the idea of introducing the meat munching monsters to tea and biscuits haha. I'm so looking forward to seeing some cheffant some day, perhaps raised specifically by the queen's for their tea parties. Thx for the chapter!
0xFFF1
Caffeine would actually make insects like The Colony drunk. But surely there's a potential plant out there that could be bred for a similar Upper effect that would work for their biology. Heck, there might be mana-infused plants that temporarily increase Cunning. Perhaps ask the Tree Mother for some useful seeds?
0xFFF1
Sugar as a combat drug, heh.
Yeno Memevig
Those tea leaves are from that mother tree aren't they
ZaneofBane
And that's how the colony's sugar cane epidemic began...
M van Dongen
Trade oppertunity....
Nathan Emerson
New thought, what if they discover caffeine and coffee?
Tyrunex
Maybe they could breed a different aphid kind which gives off some sweet honey like liquid
BlissForgotten
Oh god. What happens if Vibrant gets their claws on pure sugar?
Amelgar
The beginning of the Golden Age for the Colony. It all began with the discovery of sugar
Drew Lim
Sugar plus vibrant will lead to extra awesome scenarios haha
alexander ukaga
lol. they finally found it. going to get some giant sugar ants soon
Titaniumtac
Thx for the chapter.
Nathan Emerson
There won't be any sugar left anywhere. Just think if they found out about honey? Or candy?
RedScaledOne
Holy shit... so it begins. Bakeant will be born and Leavant or teanat ^^
TheRaptorOfHermes
Are we going to see a chef ant named gordon ?
