Chapter 495: Keeping an eye on things

Tabletina put two charcoal sketches toward me. They were crude, but detailed enough for me to recognise what was painted on them.

The first sketch was an image of a bee, a Physician based on clothing. Next to her head was a square that looked very similar to my system panels. The quality and size of the sketch didn’t show what was written in it.

The second sketch showed more rectangular system windows, and in much more detail. There were health and stamina bars very similar to those I could see on myself, and another, a much larger one.

Except, instead of status, it read:

〔ERROR: NO CONNECTION〕

“With this eye, I can see those puzzling writings above the heads of bees and beasts,” Tabletina said. “I thought about what they might mean, but found no answer. What ‘connection’ does this speak about? Does it mean connection to you, Father?”

At the last words, Tabletina’s usual clinical tone cracked a little. She looked into my eyes, then glanced away, then forcefully sat straighter and looked straight at me again.

I didn’t understand what caused her strange emotional reaction until Tabletina continued her speech:

“I searched for relevant information from the Archives and found many meanings of the word ‘connection’ used by humans. You mentioned that you were a human before, so I thought this might be it. The most prevalent of them were a physical connection and a spiritual connection…”

I interrupted her with a wave of her hands.

“No! This definitely doesn’t relate to any spiritual connections!” I exclaimed.

Now I understood why Tabletina acted weird just now! Did she read notes on human religion and spirituality? Did she think that the system showed her errors because I hated her?

Yes, this was what she thought. In different words, but the same thing.

“These messages are about a very different thing,” I continued under the puzzled and curious gazes of my Advisers. “I’m surprised that this eye shows any system interface at all… But…”

I glanced at Tabletina again, then at her sketches.

This looked as if the system was trying to show her something, but couldn’t. Because Tabletina didn’t have a system, didn’t she?

What if she successfully copied a part of it that showed me pictures, but not the part that generated it? I thought that my system was one large program-like entity, but I could be mistaken. Even if my system was one large program, it could have sub-programs or something.

“But did it work, in the end?” Workharder asked and caught a glare from Researchina.

“Quiet. Father is thinking.”

I nodded several times.

“It’s incredible. This makes me wonder how the system is installed. I thought it was in my soul, but—”

I cringed, recalling the Goddess of Bees’ speech about souls. If they didn’t exist, the system couldn’t be installed in them.

“—But this is impossible. Then I thought it was installed in my mind—but what IS a mind? It’s just a collection of neural paths in one’s brain, and consciousness is a bunch of electrical signals running through them. Something could be installed there and do… things… But how would it affect my entire body? And not just my DNA, since I have non-inheritable abilities, too!”

Tabletina and Researchina, like true colleagues and Researchers, synchronously tilted their heads to the side. They were listening with open eyes.

Most other bees clearly lost my line of thought.

“It would make total sense for a part of the system to be installed in my eyes, and for this part to affect my visual receptors to show me pictures. But it clearly can’t work without the rest of the system. The lack of connection… What stops it from connecting, though? Does the system use my neural pathways to transmit its data instead of using some other means? Telepathy is possible, astral journeys are possible—what stops the system from connecting to your eye, Tabletina?”

She jolted at the direct question, then frowned unhappily.

“I… have no idea, Father. What you say is a knowledge that’s too advanced for me.”

The sentiment was shared all across the board. Clearly, even if my girls understood most of the words I said, the sentences made very little sense to them.

What I was talking about was closer to knowledge of computers than anything they used until now. Not that I expected anything different.

“That’s alright, Tabletina. I was just thinking aloud.” I smiled warmly at her.

Then I paused and realised that I’ve been thinking aloud for a few minutes now… and could easily continue for much longer. Perhaps my system would answer my questions about this. Perhaps I might even reach Dalmanrach and ask him.

Either way…

“There’s no point in continuing this as the Council,” I said. “Let’s return to other business. But we will speak about this in private later, Tabletina. In the meantime, you can tell us about your successes with other prosthetics and how this can affect the Bee Empire. I know you have a lot to say.”

Tabletina perked up and nodded.

“Yes, Father. A lot of bees with old traumas could return to full work efficiency! I used statistics from the Archives to draft numbers on how many of them—the Empire’s overall workforce should grow by one percent. It will require gathering more wood from the ice-hole trees, though.”

“What? An entire percent! Do we really have so many crippled bees?!” Workharder exclaimed, almost pulling a document from Tabletina’s hands. “Damn it, we do! So many bees that can’t work properly, and they are still all alive! How?!”

“Most of these are work accidents. Some crafts are dangerous. Not as dangerous as battles, and less lethal, but this might not be a good thing,” Bloodhero said, glancing at Things-Things.

“Accidents happen. But my subordinates try to avoid them, yes-yes! And now we can make many-many more new limbs to all who need them.”

“It would be amazing,” I admitted. “What is the current progress of the anti-tree squads? How soon will they bring us enough wood for all these prosthetics?”

I still have eye puns unused.