Awakening (2): The Moment I Accepted Mother's Symbiotic Bugs
Dante realized everything the instant he accepted his mother's symbiotic bugs.
'Almost really fucked up there.'
He'd nearly met his end before even being born. But his mother's swarm of bugs had saved his life.
'Not spirits or guardian angels.'
The entities that had constantly swirled around him—they were all bugs.
Dozens of bugs swam alongside Dante in the amniotic fluid within the womb. Purification Bugs. They prevented the fluid from clouding, immediately filtering out any impurities to protect the baby's health.
But the purification bugs were just the beginning. His mother's body—no, her corpse—was already covered in an uncountable black mass of bugs. They maintained warmth. A corpse couldn't regulate temperature, so the bugs vibrated their wings to keep the baby from getting cold. There were bugs that inserted nutrient tubes from the outside, supplying sustenance through the umbilical cord. Others coated the body in preservative mucus to prevent decay. All of them, with one mind and one will—
Wished for Dante's survival.
It's really fortunate!
The symbiotic bugs whispered into Dante's brain.
Your mother's magic was weakening. We've already gone through several generations of replacements.
Bugs have short lifespans. Each time the adult dies and the child is born, the bond with the bug tamer weakens. The number of bugs caring for Dante was dwindling.
But now that you've inherited your mother's magic, we can rest easy!
Bugs only recognize the tamer's presence and obey their commands. With the previous bug tamer—his mother—dead and her magic fading... Dante had become the new bug tamer by accepting the symbiotic bugs. Now, the bugs would carry out the final request his mother left them to the very end.
We'll become you now.
What did that mean?
We can't think freely like you humans. Our intelligence is too low.
Symbiotic bugs originally have low intelligence. But when they share a brain with the tamer, things change. The symbiotic bugs burrow into the bug tamer's brain, taking its place and assuming its role. The bugs that devour the tamer's brain gain enough intelligence for normal conversation. That was why Dante could converse with his mother's symbiotic bugs.
We'll become part of you and live on with you to the end.
Implanting symbiotic bugs into the brain dramatically boosts a bug tamer's capabilities. It's a perilous ritual that countless bug tamers risk their lives to attempt... but Dante had simply accepted the ones his mother passed down to him.
Dante asked,
So, does that mean we can't talk like this anymore?
No one talks to themselves, right? We could separate ourselves if you insist... but if there's no need, we're happier and more content living together with you. We share all your emotions. All your memories.
Experiences a low-intelligence symbiotic bug could never feel on its own. The human brain grants the symbiotic bugs ultimate joy. That's why they willingly bond with the tamer.
Dante understood. The bugs' thoughts and his own were gradually merging into one.
Not much time left now.
Dante's body was nearly complete. If his mother were alive, labor would be imminent.
Once you emerge into the world, there'll be nothing more we can do to help.
Too many generations of bugs had already cycled through. His mother's final protective magic was coming to an end.
Dante still didn't know how to handle bugs. The limitations of a newborn were clear.
Find a human who can help you, somehow.
Dante needed to be raised in human arms.
'Got it. I'll find someone who can help me.'
…
Finally, Dante crawled out of his mother's womb. The clustered swarm received him. They gnawed through the umbilical cord to sever it.
Humans! Find humans!
The bugs urgently transported Dante. If they missed this moment while his mother's magic still lingered, they would scatter into the wild. Until then, they had to find a human to raise him.
'Sign! Head that way!'
Dante drew on memories from his previous life—his time as a human—to guide the bugs toward traces of humanity. The swarm raced off with the baby in tow.
…to some unknown place.
Dante had no idea where this was or what it was—but in truth, it was a hot spring.
"Haa... this feels great~"
Shabrilla Petaconia's hot spring, no less! The one she'd personally opened!
While patrolling her territory, Lady Shabrilla discovered several springs perfect for bathing. She immediately sent people to investigate.
'The locals use it as a herbal bathhouse.'
'Hmm... is that so...?'
Lady Shabrilla dove straight into hot spring development. She built fences, laid roads, added changing rooms and a shop. Some locals protested.
'Um... Lady Shabrilla, this is our village bathhouse...'
She replied sharply.
"Letting prime business land like this go to waste? A noble simply cannot stand for it~!"
'...'
"Show your resident ID for a free pass! Oho ho ho!"
'...'
The villagers grumbled "that bitch" behind her back, but what could powerless territory folk do...?
'This is the hot spring Lady Shabrilla developed?'
"Heavens! A girl not even twenty yet, with business savvy that outshines her parents!"
"This'll definitely boost the territory's income!"
Aside from the minor detail of the elderly locals losing their quiet soak spot, Lady Shabrilla's hot spring received rave reviews.
Of course, to ensure business success, the lady herself jumped into aggressive promotion. Namely... inviting other noble ladies!
"How did you find such prime land?!"
A noble lady's eyes sparkled as she asked—though it was mostly flattery. Among ladies her age, no one else took business seriously except Shabrilla.
What would they understand even if she explained?
"Just stumbled upon it~"
"You must be a lucky charm, Lady Shabrilla! Bathing while enjoying this fresh air and stunning scenery!"
"Right! Even the capital can't offer luxuries like this!"
Oho ho ho~ The ladies burst into identical laughter, straight out of their "How to Laugh Like a Proper Noble" class. Deviate from the teacher's example, and you'd face creepy ostracism. The life of a noble lady had its hardships too.
'Yeah, enjoy it to the fullest before you go!'
Lady Shabrilla smirked at the girls. What she wanted was simple! Promotion! More word-of-mouth! Once these ladies returned to the capital spreading the good news, her hot spring business would gain even more momentum and grow!
'This is business~'
Definitely not just skin care and gossip in the springs. This was all part of the business!
With that thought, Lady Shabrilla poured warm spring water over her body.
'...Huh?'
Right then. Lady Shabrilla jolted in shock, her body trembling.
"Lady Shabrilla?"
One lady tilted her head at her, but Shabrilla desperately maintained her poker face.
"Y-Yes?!"
"Are you alright? You looked startled all of a sudden...?"
"Oho ho ho! It's nothing! I just remembered the roll cake I left at home...!"
"Ah~ That makes sense!"
"If you're worried about the roll cake, sure, that could startle you! Oho ho ho!"
The conversation flowed like collective brain damage, but that was typical among ladies. No one pried if someone made excuses. Digging into personal matters wasn't proper for nobles.
'No... that's not the issue!'
Lady Shabrilla stared piercingly into the spring water. If it wasn't her imagination...!
There'd been a bug in the water?!
'Bugs! Absolutely not!!!'
She'd gathered all these ladies for hoho laughs. They needed only fond memories—plenty of them. A bug in the hot spring?
'Kyaaah~ So dirty! So filthy~!'
'Did she invite us to a sewer instead of a hot spring?! Lady Shabrilla!'
'I'll report this straight to His Majesty the Emperor!'
...Why on earth tell the Emperor about a bug in a hot spring? She had no idea. But the ladies erupting in mass hysteria? That absolutely could not happen…!
'Where did the bug come from?'
There shouldn't have been any. Lady Shabrilla wasn't stupid; she knew open-air hot springs were vulnerable to bugs. That's why she'd shelled out big money to hire a mage. Repelling magic circles installed everywhere...!
'Did I get scammed?!'
No way... Lady Shabrilla calmed her pounding heart. As long as the mage's magic circles were there—no bugs could enter the hot spring. Ever...
"Kiyaaaaaaaah!!!"
"?! Why the sudden scream— Kiyaaaaaaaah!!!"
"Wh-What's going on! Let me know too— Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!"
"Kiyak! Kiyak!!!"
"Kiyoooooot!!!"
That was when it happened. The ladies started freaking out en masse. Far more intensely than Lady Shabrilla had feared— a hundred times over!
She had no clue what was happening, but first things first: calm the other ladies.
"Everyone, stay calm!"
"Lady Shabrilla! Behind you...!!!"
Shabrilla turned her head. What on earth had they seen to make such a fuss? And then, the moment she looked behind her—
Overwhelmed by visceral disgust and terror, she let out a scream laced with madness.
"Kiyaaaaaaaah!!!"
The other ladies echoed in resonance.
"Kiyaaaaaaaah!!!"
"Kiyaaaaaaaah!!!"
"Kiyaaaaaaaah!!!"
Yes. It was—
A swarm of bugs. Countless bugs, blackening the ground like ink!
"R-Run!!!"
"Get out! Hurry! We have to escape this fucking hot spring!!!"
In a panic, the ladies fled helter-skelter.
…All but one.
Except for the lady with damp silver hair hanging down.
"Lady Elena!"
The others reached out to help, but—
Her gaze was fixed on the swarm.
Suddenly, Lady Elena shouted.
"It's a baby!"
"Huh?!"
"There's a baby in there!"
"!!!"
The bugs were so numerous it was hidden, but it was true. Amid the swarm...
A newborn baby...!
"Ladle! We need to splash water!"
Lady Elena cried out, but not a single person picked up a ladle.
…Because the bugs were terrifying. They didn't even want to look at those creepy, horrific things, let alone touch them.
But Lady Elena was different. She scooped water into a ladle herself and splashed it toward the swarm. Some bugs flipped over from the hot spring water. The pitch-black bugs twitched their legs frantically.
Then, a miracle happened.
"!"
Whoosh! The bugs set the baby down and fled into the mountains in an instant.
"Baby!"
Lady Elena scooped the baby into her arms. It burst into cries.
"Are you okay? Baby?"
"Wah~ Wah~"
"…"
"…"
The ladies watched from a safe distance. A beautiful lady cradling the newborn.