I'll mention this before it all gets swallowed up in the collective consciousness of the Swarm and then forgotten.
I am 18 years old and in my first year of college. I was born and raised in Japan.
I didn't have that many friends, but I had a lot of online friends. Mostly through gaming connections. When it comes to games, I can have as many conversations as I want. I think I have led a very vain life. Still, I don't regret it, and it's not that I don't have any regrets in Japan.
I will leave. I will leave this world.
──Well, the first thing I should do was to confirm the current situation
Gathering intelligence is the first thing to do in this kind of game. Victory can only be achieved if you know the surrounding terrain, the location of the enemy faction, the location of the resources needed to create the units – the swarms, and everything else on this world.
This is the basis of the 4X's: Explore, Expand, Exploit, and Exterminate.
But the truth is, I was still hesitant to fight the "enemy".
Where am I in the first place?
A map that was too big. Caves I've never seen before. I don't remember ever playing on a map that was so vast and had caves like the one I'm in now.
That's why I scattered the Ripper Swarms around, one unit at a time. Their information is transmitted directly to me by the collective consciousness. I drew a map based on this information, thinking about the terrain that I needed to capture to win.
「Your Majesty the Queen. Your dress is ready」
At the same time, I had to make sure that it was me as well.
I was eighteen years old──but I had become somewhat younger. I'm probably about fourteen now. The hoodie and shorts I am wearing are loose and baggy. I'm afraid they'll slip down.
I don't know how I became young again.
Why was I here in the first place?
What was I doing right before I came here?
I don't know. The last thing I remember was stopping at the point where I turned on my computer, and I thought I would play a game – why did this happen?
I don't understand.
However, I must investigate further. The reason why I came here could be a key factor in my return from here.
Yes, I don't intend to stay in this incomprehensible world forever. After leading the Arachnea as their Queen, I plan to go home. I've been living as a shut-in for a while now, but that world is where I belong.
「Your Majesty?」
「Aah, sorry. I'm gonna go change. You can leave it there」
I pointed to the bed as the worker-swarm who had brought the clothes tilted his head. The bed was too simple, just a stone platform covered with straw. I'll have to improve my living environment soon.
「Now, what kind of clothes did he make for me?」
I spread out the clothes that the worker swarm had made for me without much hope.
「…..He can make something like this huh」
What was created was a magnificent dress. It was made of a silky fabric and was as serene and luxurious as if it had been made to be worn by a Victorian lady. It was perfect except for the fact that the back was too open, it would make my bosom visible, and it looked like it would be hard to wash.
「I hope I'll get better food, clothing, and shelter」
I mutter to myself as I slip into the dress that the Worker Swarm made for me.
「Housing needs improvement. But the biggest problem, for now, is food huh?」
Food was important. I can't live without food, and I need food as a resource to produce my swarms. The basic setting of that game was that all units, except for inorganic units, were manufactured with food.
『Your Majesty』
Suddenly, a voice rang in my ears.
「What is it?」
『We've found a village. There are inhabitants. What should we do?』
This was a report from the swarm I've sent out to scout the surroundings. It's coming through the collective consciousness.
I focused on the consciousness of that swarm.
The gist of it was simple. Select the swarm I want to focus my attention on in the map I have drawn in my brain just like in the game, and focus my nerves on it.