Chapter 119

King Makaï’s hand rested calmly atop the Killer Queen.

Where had that monster’s habit of attacking anyone who looked human gone? It just sat there tamely on King Makaï’s hand like a docile pet.

It was like something out of a nature documentary. Though I never thought I’d see it up close like this…

And without wings, there was no annoying buzzing sound either, so it didn’t feel nearly as threatening.

Of course, the other killer hornets were still around, but for some reason, they hadn’t left the hive at all today.

Well, suits me fine. Better than getting annoyed by the constant buzz and burning them all to ashes.

“Hmm, compared to usual, she seems even tamer today.”

I wasn’t sure if she was being tame or not…

“Really, she’s not attacking people at all.”

“Indeed. She’s quite clever too. She seems to think those who come with me are my friends, so as long as they don’t provoke her first, she won’t attack.”

“If they hadn’t come with you…”

King Makaï chuckled awkwardly while pointing at the killer hornets lingering near the entrance.

Well, naturally. Judging by how friendly King Makaï and the Killer Queen seem, it’s probably why she’s acting so gentle.

But if someone else came… They’d end up a pincushion for sure.

“Not that I’ve heard any news of intruders anyway.”

Yeah, that makes sense.

Even if the bees went berserk or there were dead bodies lying around, it would definitely draw attention.

“Still, since she’s so well-behaved today… Perhaps we could let someone else hold her? Would you like to try?”

King Makaï said with a mischievous grin. Uh… So what you’re saying is…

“You’re asking me to hold this bee?”

This dangerous exoskeleton creature? The one with venomous stingers and sharp front claws?

“No thanks. Even if she’s tame, she’s still a monster.”

“But today feels different. For someone so affectionate.”

“Affectionate or not, I’m still saying no! Look at that hard carapace! Those emotionless compound eyes! That needle designed to pierce flesh and inject poison! And those blade-like front claws!”

“Isn’t she rather stylish?”

“Your taste in aesthetics is disturbing!”

How can you call that stylish?! How?!

“Don’t be like that. Just give it a try, even for a moment.”

King Makaï extended his hand holding the Killer Queen towards me.

“No way! You could give me everything in this world, and I’d still say no to holding a bee! A bee!!”

I hate mosquitoes because they suck blood and annoy me, but I purely hate bees!

Sorry bees, but if I dislike something, I dislike it!

Especially giant bees the size of fists!!

“Isn’t she cute though…?”

The Killer Queen on King Makaï’s hand stared at me with emotionless compound eyes.

“Kiiiii…”

For some reason, she emitted a weak sound as if scared and started crawling up his wrist.

Uh… Despite hating bees, seeing such an obvious fearful reaction made me wonder…

“Hmm? Why is she acting like this suddenly?”

Her gaze was clearly directed at me.

When I moved slightly to the side, her gaze followed. When I distanced myself a bit, she emitted a strangely comforting hum.

Hmm… Hmm…

Could this little bug have sensed what I am?

Through animal instinct?

Or some special perception inherent to monsters?

Not entirely sure, but it was certainly strange.

Maybe it has something to do with how she was domesticated by humans.

“Hmm. I’ve heard rumors that the Dragon Priestess is terrifying, but I never imagined she could scare even monsters.”

“This is my first time seeing something like this too!”

Why is this happening?! Is it because the killer hornet is intelligent? Or does it retain enough primal instincts to vaguely sense my identity despite its intelligence?

Who knows, but this isn’t common behavior.

“I’ve heard the Hero and the Dragon Priestess have slaughtered countless monsters. Could she be reacting to the scent of their blood?”

“If there was such a smell, other monsters would have noticed too. It’s odd only the Killer Queen senses it.”

“Well, this one’s a genius! Smart enough to recognize and befriend people!”

“Calling a monster a genius doesn’t mean much…”

A smart monster might be more dangerous, but on the flip side, its ability to interact with humans could be positive.

Hmm… Will humanoid monsters start appearing soon? Not demons, but something like orcs or ogres?

Don’t know. But vampires seem likely to show up eventually, though they might not strictly count as monsters…

Hmm. Don’t know. Humans will figure it out eventually. Right now I interfere a lot, but in the future, humans and various races will coexist and build this world together.

By then, I’ll just quietly seclude myself and watch the world through my avatars!

By that point, direct intervention from beings like the Creator Dragon God or the Goddess of Life won’t be necessary anymore! Probably!

Come on, surely they won’t need my help by then?

By then, I’ll just hide away in some unknown corner!

—

The couple cared for the bee with utmost devotion.

The bee, having lost its wings and been expelled from the nest, initially distrusted even the couple taking care of it.

Nevertheless, the couple persisted in caring for the bee, believing that once responsibility is taken, it must be seen through to the end.

However, tending to such a fierce bee wasn’t easy.

Sometimes it would scratch with its claws, sometimes bite with its teeth.

To the bee, humans were likely perceived as villains who occasionally appeared to destroy homes and steal honey, so its reactions were understandable.

But the couple didn’t give up.

Even when injured or threatened by the bee’s stinger, they continued to care for the honeybee.

Eventually, the bee opened its heart to the couple.

Once the bee trusted them, the couple discovered a surprising truth:

This bee was actually a queen bee!

The most fearsome bee in the forest. One whose sting could endanger human life—the dreaded killer bee.

She was the queen of those bees.

With the couple’s help, the queen recovered using their medicine and built a new home, expanding her family.

One, two… She laid eggs, larvae hatched, and over time, the population grew. The couple began to worry:

Is this really safe? These are killer bees after all. Won’t they harm others?

But worryingly, it turned out unnecessary.

Surprisingly, the newly hatched bees were incredibly tame.

Certainly, if provoked, they retaliated fiercely, but compared to other killer bees, they were remarkably gentle—never initiating attacks on strangers.

In gratitude, these bees gifted the couple sweet honey far surpassing anything they’d ever tasted.

Using this honey, along with potatoes, the couple created delicious meals.

They called their dish “Honey Butter Potatoes,” combining butter borrowed from neighbors, sweet honey, and tasty potatoes.

—

The couple became wealthy from their dish.

What once was a struggling pair with nothing but a dog became a prosperous household.

Some celebrated their success, but others envied them.

It was the neighbor on the hill—a friend in name only.

Honestly, could they even call themselves friends? Still, this “friend” had helped the husband when he was down on his luck, using the family heirloom as collateral to build their home.

Though the friend lusted after the heirloom, the husband genuinely considered them a good friend who helped in tough times.

Anyway, the now-wealthy husband invited this friend over for a delicious meal.

Upon seeing this, the envious friend asked incredulously:

“How did you make so much money? All you had was your body!”

“Good fortune. Our dog somehow brought us everything.”

Nearby, the dog nibbling on a small bone tilted its head.

Was this human really talking about him? After all, while the dog provided the opportunity, the couple worked tirelessly caring for the bees, cultivating potatoes, and creating food.

But none of that mattered to the spiteful friend.

All they cared about was: the dog made them rich.

—

A classic fairy tale: The Grateful Dog.