For a mont, the heavy cavern echoed with their laughter. Sephiran then stepped forward, pouting slightly. He leaned his massive bat against a rock.
"What about , Mother? What role am I in? Can I go out too? I want to help!"
Maddy looked at her youngest.
"You are the rotation, Sephiran. You assist your siblings. You are still my baby, after all."
"I’m twelve!"
Sephiran protested loudly. As if to prove his point, his status suddenly flashed into the air:
[Magic: 1,050,000 | Might: 1,080,000]
Maddy blinked. The "baby" of the family had enough power to level a city. She smiled, patting his head.
"Twelve or not, you will always be my baby..."
Sephiran’s face softened as Maddy patted his head. For a mont he leaned into her touch, hugging her tightly, his massive fra bending down so he could bury his face against her shoulder.
Then, after a few seconds, he lifted his head again.
"What about... Vermi?"
For a mont the cavern was quiet. Then sothing wiggled behind Sephiran. A small, plump shape pushed its way out from behind his leg with a soft squish-squish sound.
It was round, purple, and about the size of a pug. Its body looked like a miniature version of Maddy’s chira worm form—except softer and far more harmless looking.
Six tiny cross eyes blinked up at Maddy. The creature tilted its head.
"Brrrp?"
Then it made a small dog like noise.
"Wrrf!"
Sephiran grinned imdiately and scooped the little chira up.
"There she is!"
The others turned to look. Dyralfa blinked.
"...That thing is the worm that survive the S-Rank party?"
Arach crouched slightly, studying it with analytical curiosity.
"Interesting... the gestation must have finished while we were farming."
The tiny chira wriggled happily in Sephiran’s arms, its little tail nub twitching.
"Brrf!"
Frovian tilted his head, one brow rising as his amphibian eyes focused on the creature.
"Mother..."
He pointed at Vermi.
"Why is it making dog noises?"
"Brrf!"
The worm looked very proud of itself. Frovian slowly blinked.
"This is a chira worm... correct? A subterranean apex organism capable of devouring monsters and adapting their traits?"
"Brrf!"
"...And it barks."
Sephiran burst out laughing.
"Maybe she thinks she’s a dog!"
Maddy smiled warmly at the small creature.
"Vermi doesn’t have a role."
Her children looked at her. Maddy knelt slightly so she could look directly at the little purple worm.
"She will simply live her life as she is."
Vermi blinked.
"She can wander wherever she wants. Eat whatever she finds interesting. Sleep wherever she likes. She’s free to do anything. I just want her to live happily as what she is... a chira worm."
Then she added quickly, raising a finger as if rembering an important rule.
"But of course with restraint when it cos to eating humans!"
Sephiran tilted his head.
"So... she’s like a rotation too?"
Maddy giggled.
"Yes. I suppose she is."
"Then that ans—!"
He suddenly lifted Vermi high into the air like soone proudly holding up a puppy.
"She’ll always be on my team!"
Vermi wiggled happily.
"Wrrf!"
Maddy laughed.
"Well... as long as you rember sothing."
"What?"
Maddy placed a hand on her hip, smirking playfully.
"A worm slayer should not slay Vermi."
For half a second Sephiran froze. Then the entire cavern erupted with laughter. Dyralfa nearly doubled over.
"HAHAHA! Imagine if he forgets!"
Frovian chuckled under his breath.
"That would be the shortest lifespan of a colony mber in history."
Arach shook his head, laughing quietly. Sephiran hugged Vermi protectively against his chest.
"HEY! I would never!"
Vermi squeaked proudly.
"Brrf!"
Deep inside the Mineral Hole, beneath the ancient bones of Shellgrave, the strange little colony laughed together.
After their heartfelt mont, Maddy’s newly ford system continued assigning roles.
"Frovian, step forward."
Frovian moved with a calm, scholarly grace. He bowed his head respectfully.
"Mother... if their roles are to go outside... then I presu my role involves remaining inside our ho."
He glanced around the cavern before adding carefully,
"Just... please make it sothing more dignified than simply cleaning the cave."
Maddy burst out laughing.
"You really are smart, my child."
She gestured around the cavern, her expression growing more serious.
"This role is the opposite of the Soldier role. Because, as you said... you will take care of what’s inside."
She paused for emphasis.
"You are the Caretaker."
Frovian’s ear twitched slightly as he processed the title. Maddy continued.
"You are the Guardian of the Next Generation. While your siblings are out in the field, you remain here. You will ensure the Womb is nurtured, the newborns are raised, and most importantly—you ensure our family remains a single, unbroken unit."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"If there is a dispute, you are the judge. If soone slacks off, you correct them. If soone is injured, you see to their recovery."
She gestured toward all of them.
"This duty is not only for the unborn or the newborn. You care for all your siblings. You ensure everyone is doing their role properly—no laziness, no chaos."
A small smile returned to her lips.
"You will make sure our colony grows healthy... disciplined... and strong."
Frovian’s eyes shimred with intellectual delight. For a mont he said nothing. His webbed fingers rose slowly to his chin as if weighing the concept in his mind piece by piece.
"A caretaker... diator... administrator... educator... internal stabilizer of the colony."
His lips slowly curved upward.
"...Mother, you have essentially assigned the position of internal governance."
He placed a hand over his chest and bowed deeply, far more dramatically than before.
"I accept."
He straightened, amphibian eyes gleaming with quiet excitent.
"To shape the discipline of our siblings, maintain the integrity of our household, and ensure the next generation is raised properly... I cannot imagine a responsibility more intellectually satisfying."
Dyralfa imdiately snorted.
"Of course he likes it. You basically gave him permission to lecture everyone."
Sephiran laughed loudly.
"Oh gods, that ans we have to listen to him now!"
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