Chapter 47
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: I Will Inherit the Throne
'Wh... what's going on...'
Meanwhile, Ersia was so bewildered by the chaotic scene unfolding before her that her vision spun in circles.
"Y... you mad bastard! How dare you not recognize your own father!"
"What are you talking about? My only parent is the Queen."
I could accept that the worm I'd birthed had suddenly grown up, but launching a headbutt at its father right after birth was on another level.
And on top of that, it was showing me nothing but polite respect, which only added to the confusion.
"What a mess."
Scarlet, who was basically in the same fleshlight mold as me, muttered in disbelief at the absurd situation.
"Erdia!!! You're my child! Obey my commands!"
"Mother."
And my son, the insect-type monster, ignored the furiously bellowing Diabolos and approached me with a courteous demeanor to ask his question.
"Uh... what's wrong?"
"I shall carry out the Queen's orders. Shall I free you right now?"
This might just be an opportunity.
I had no idea what was going on, but with Erdia's power surpassing even its parents, we might be able to escape this mess.
"Yeah, help us out."
"Yes, ma'am!"
With that, I grabbed hold of the helping hand that had appeared before me.
"You bastard, I'll kill you...!"
But the shellbug king, who had been utterly ignored by his offspring this whole time, ground his teeth in rage...
And soon bellowed out, brimming with boiling hatred.
"Legion! Tear these traitors apart!!!!"
- Kiiieeeek...
At their leader's call, countless insects began swarming in.
"D... dangerous."
I couldn't hide my tension as powerful-looking bugs appeared.
A centipede monster the size of a five-story building and all sorts of vicious-clawed beasts growled, radiating ferocious auras.
No matter how strong that kid was, it was clear he couldn't handle their numbers alone.
Splaaaat!!!
"Huh?"
But the insect horde showed no hostility toward us—instead, they knelt before me just like Erdia.
"Wh... what is this?! Why aren't you obeying my orders?!"
"Don't tell me these guys are on our side?"
"A natural outcome, Mother."
Leaving the wailing Diabolos behind, Erdia revealed the hidden truth to me.
Originally mere larval bugs, they had rapidly grown by drinking the nutrient-rich milk from my womb and breasts.
And as they matured within my body, like a cradle, they had felt comfort and maternal love.
- Kiiieeeek...
"They are grateful for the care you've shown them all this time, Mother. This is their true pledge of loyalty to their parent."
"Whoa..."
The bugs I'd given birth to becoming my loyal army? This might actually be a huge win...
No, what am I even saying right now!
Anyone hearing that would think I enjoyed popping out kids.
"My god, nothing like this has ever happened before..."
Even amid all this, Diabolos muttered in a stunned tone.
"Entirely possible, my lord."
"Kallos!"
Then, from behind him, the scientist bug slowly stirred and revealed itself.
"No matter the broodmother, every individual yearns for their mother's embrace."
Swoosh.
The insect called Kallos, who had appeared out of nowhere, glanced at both us and the shellbug king before continuing.
"But if the leader's dominance overrides that maternal love, the sense of self fades away."
So... if the broodmother's maternal love proves stronger than the leader's dominance over the legion, the opposite happens?
"Precisely. If the mother possesses greater magic power than the current king, the hierarchy inverts at that moment."
Splat.
Finally, he pointed a tentacle at me.
"You are stronger than Diabolos. Thus, command of this legion has been transferred to you, the Queen."
"...!"
Only after hearing his explanation did the puzzle pieces fall into place, clarifying the situation.
What I'd thought was a crisis had turned into an opportunity.
"Nonsense! An uncontrollable broodmother can just be killed off!"
Screeeeech!!!
But Diabolos, his rage boiling over, suddenly charged straight at us.
'If I die here, it's all over, right?'
Come to think of it, my breasts were so swollen and heavy right now that I couldn't even dodge properly—this was dangerous.
"Die, Ersia!!!!"
"Kyaaah?!"
Just as the shellbug king lowered his horn toward me and lunged...
Kraaaack!!!
"To dare lay your filthy hands on the Queen."
"Gr... grrrk!!!"
My child Erdia blocked his horn with his claw.
"Th... thank goodness."
I finally breathed a sigh of relief at his super save.
Well, Diabolos was probably the most shocked right now.
His own child, whom he'd assumed was on his side from the start, had backstabbed him, putting his throne in jeopardy.
"Lord Diabolos, it's simple."
"What...?"
"As king, execute the traitors and reclaim your dominion."
"Grrrrgh..."
And at Kallos's cold, detached response—like a mere bystander—the insect king's face hardened further.
With the legion's bugs and even the scientist Kallos turning hostile or neutral, he had to overcome this army alone.
"Erdia... let us duel for the throne."
"Very well."
Splat!!!
At last, the pinnacles of the insect world glared at each other in tense standoff.
"Son."
"M... Mother just called me her son...?"
But... with a pang of regret, I called out to him, and Erdia momentarily echoed in surprise at the unexpected tone.
"You don't have to fight if you don't want to. You can run."
"..."
Truth be told, I'd originally planned to use this insect.
But... even as a bug, it had its own personality, thoughts, and will to live.
So I chose to respect its free will over forcing commands.
"Why would you say such a thing?"
"Because you're my child."
"...!"
I'm not like Diabolos, using my children as tools.
Birth was a milestone to reach 9th Circle, but I always tried to take responsibility for the lives I'd brought into the world.
"I... am a bug that humans despise. I felt it keenly in Mother's womb."
Yet Erdia stretched out his antennae and murmured to me.
"There's this place called Hunter Gallery where even uglier people than you are loved by their parents."
"Such...!"
"They say even a hedgehog finds its own young cute. You're my child, so I don't hate you."
And to boost his self-esteem, I borrowed the power of nameless Hunter Gallery drifters.
"..."
Erdia fell silent at my words, lost in deep thought...
"For the Queen!"
Fwaaah!!!
And soon charged ferociously at Diabolos.
"Eh...?"
Wait, hold on... I definitely tried to stop him, so why was he suddenly going full fanatic?
"As the Queen has nurtured us, we too shall gladly die for her!!!!"
- Kyeeeeek!!!
Incredibly, as Erdia's fighting spirit soared to the heavens, the surrounding bugs howled in response.
"You arrogant fools...!"
Of course, Diabolos entered combat stance to meet him head-on.
"Hercules Horn Spear!"
"Silent Cutter."
Fwaaah!!!
The two crossed paths, brandishing their head horns and scissor blades.
"Grrgh..."
"Is that all?"
Craaaack!!!
But the challenger's exoskeleton proved superior, and cracks spread from the shellbug king's horn.
"Don't get cocky, you brat!!!"
Soon, the enraged Diabolos unleashed uncontrollable punches.
His heavy, thick fists alternated between chest and abdomen, followed by a rear-leg kick to the face.
KABOOOM!!!!
"Erdia...!?"
"Kekeke, I've toppled countless powerhouses with this body!"
In that instant, a mountain-shattering boom echoed, and I unwittingly cried out his name in worry.
Groooar!!!!
As the thick smoke cleared, four arms were revealed, blocking every attack.
Unscathed, without a single scratch from his blows.
"Now it's my turn."
"?!"
From that moment, Erdia's one-man rampage began in earnest.
Crack!
"Gaaaaaaaah!!!!"
The first to break was the proud horn of the longhorn beetle.
Splaaaat!!!
"Hmph!!"
"Gahk?!"
With arms sprouting from his back, six limbs assaulted Diabolos like weapons.
Bam-bam-bam-bam-bam-bam!!!!
The frenzied barrage crushed the sturdy carapace and mangled the flesh beneath.
Crunch.
"■■□■■...!!!!"
He twisted off arms or brutally tore antennae apart.
Diabolos's limbs scattered futilely into the air.
Like a bug dying to a child's play.
"This...!"
Whiiiirrr!!!
Of course, Diabolos desperately resisted amid the merciless onslaught...
Thud.
"Pathetic insect struggles."
"This mad..."
But Erdia mocked him while grabbing and twisting his fist.
Groooar.
"Gaaaaaaaah!!!!"
"Foolish, arrogant, weak king..."
Thud!
Finally, he seized the trembling, pulverized Diabolos's head and intoned.
"I will inherit the throne, Father."
"..."
The shellbug king stared at Erdia with his final gaze as life ebbed away.
'I... I raised a monster...'
He had believed all insects groveled at his feet.
No, that humans and all life in this world should revere him.
But.
"..."
Facing the eerie glare of the being he'd called his child, that arrogance crumbled to dust.
He was just a bug.
In this eat-or-be-eaten world, merely a cog in the ecosystem.
Splat!
And the prey was fated to be devoured by the predator.
*
"..."
Erdia watched the foolish king's end for a long while before approaching me.
"My Queen, this is my pledge of loyalty."
"Uh... um."
He cradled Diabolos's severed head in both hands and offered it to me with utmost reverence.
"..."
But... what does it mean when a kid gifts his dad's head to his mom...?