Just as the Warden said, Ari wasn't going to get food for a week.
Evelyn came to the conclusion that Vladimir had spoken with Commander Seth and convinced him to agree to this, but Ari used Seth's own words against him.
"If I work for my one and only meal of the day and know I'm deprived of receiving it, then what's the point of working?"
Seth was left speechless because he knew he couldn't force Ari to work after such a logical argument.
Ari was glad to be free from labor, but a week without food sounded harsh—too cruel. He might die of starvation.
Since he refused to work, he wasn't allowed outside his prison cell, which meant that even if Evelyn wanted to share her food, she couldn't bring it to him.
Vladimir was truly rotten to the core. I haven't even done anything to deserve this punishment, Ari thought, yet he treats me as if I had committed a serious crime.
Each second dragged by as hunger gnawed relentlessly at his hollow gut. His limbs trembled, cold and powerless, his breath shallow. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, rough like sandpaper. Every breath tasted stale, thick with the sour dampness of the prison cell. Black spots flickered at the edge of his vision whenever he shifted, and his legs buckled beneath him when he tried to stand.
Am I going to faint… or simply waste away into nothing?
Lost in thought, he was startled by a knocking on his prison cell.
Raising his head, he was surprised to see Princess Tanya standing outside.
"Princess Tanya, what are you doing down here?" Ari asked, his voice hoarse from hunger.
Tanya lingered just outside the cell, clutching the bundle in both hands. For a heartbeat, she didn't move, her antennae twitching nervously as if she expected someone to burst in at any moment.
Finally, she slid the food through the bars, her hand trembling slightly as she did.
"Here you go. Take this—you must be starving," Tanya said, her voice low, almost guilty.
Ari's eyes widened in shock, but his hands froze just above the food. Suspicion coiled in his chest. Was this really kindness… or another trick?
Vladimir's schemes had already starved him; would Tanya go so far as to poison him under the guise of pity?
He hesitated, studying her face. She didn't look like she was plotting. Instead, her antennae drooped slightly, her mouth tight with genuine worry. Her gaze met his—steady, warm, and almost pleading.
Reluctantly, he reached out, his hands trembling, and pulled the food toward him. The scent of the berry hit him first—sharp, savory, overwhelming after days of emptiness.
He took one bite, then another, and the suspicion melted into desperation. He devoured it shamelessly, each swallow burning down his dry throat.
"Thank you so much, Princess, but why do this for me?" Ari asked between bites, his voice still wary, as though he half-expected her to pull the kindness back the moment he acknowledged it.
"I overheard some of the wardens talking about what Vladimir ordered them to do—how they weren't going to give you food," Tanya explained, her voice laced with concern.
"Listen, I'm really sorry for what Vladimir did to you earlier. He's never acted like this before, and I've known him for almost my whole life. But believe me, he genuinely cares for me and takes my well-being into account."
She hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"By the way, you're not hurt, are you? That punch Vladimir gave you the other day was really dangerous."
"No, I'm fine. I was just starving, that's all," Ari said as he stuffed his face with food, barely chewing before swallowing.
Tanya watched him for a moment before speaking again.
"By the way, I didn't get your name. I'd like to be acquainted."
Before Ari could answer, he suddenly started choking from eating too quickly.
"Oh no! Wait, here—drink this!" Tanya said flustered, quickly handing him a small container.
Ari snatched it from her and gulped it down desperately.
"You need to slow down! You're eating way too fast, you scared me half to death!" Tanya scolded.
"Thanks, I thought I was a goner. You can call me Ari."
"That's a strange name for an ant. Tell me, are you from the eastern colonies?" Tanya asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Well, actually, I'm not from this world, and I don't belong to a colony."
Tanya's brow furrowed. "What do you mean you're not from this world?"
"To be frank, I was a human before this. But I was hit by a truck that killed me, and then I suddenly woke up in this world as an ant."
Tanya blinked in confusion. "What's a human? And… what's a truck? Those words are new to me."
Ari sighed.
"I guess humans don't exist in this world after all. It's not like I was hoping they did. Honestly, the thought terrified me. What if they were gigantic here too? They'd be towering monsters, just like in my old world. One misstep from them could wipe out an entire colony—just like I used to do without thinking. And what if they were as psychotic as I was when I was one of them?" he muttered to himself.
Tanya glanced around nervously.
"I have to go now. It's almost time for Vladimir to watch over me. I sort of snuck down here to bring you food, and I don't want to cause any more trouble for you. I'll come by tomorrow, though. See you, Ari," she said with a warm smile before turning and leaving.
Unlike Seth, Anastasia, Vladimir, and the Queen, the princess was truly kind.
Ari sank to the floor, pressing his back against the cold wall of his cell. The berries had filled the emptiness in his stomach, but a heavy, sluggish ache lingered. His eyelids drooped, and for a few moments, he let himself sink into the relief of being full, even if it was only temporary.
Time stretched. Shadows lengthened in the corridor outside, the faint echo of footsteps occasionally reaching his ears. Ari closed his eyes, trying to steady his racing thoughts. Hunger no longer screamed in his gut, but a dull ache lingered, a reminder of the week ahead.
Just as he was beginning to drift into a light, uneasy rest, a new set of footsteps roused him. This time, they were measured, deliberate—unfamiliar. He froze, straining to hear every word.
"I trust all arrangements are in place, Vladimir. Our patience grows thin," said an unfamiliar voice, sharp and measured, each word deliberate.
"Rest assured," Vladimir replied smoothly, his tone calm, yet every syllable weighed with intent. "All will proceed according to plan, provided your end of the agreement is executed without error."
What are they planning… and who is he speaking to? Ari wondered.
Through a narrow crack in the prison wall, he spotted movement. Two figures stood in the dim corridor. Vladimir's posture was relaxed, yet every gesture radiated control. The other was an ant shrouded in a hood of leaves, its form mostly concealed in shadow but the voice was feminine.
"You will not only be welcomed into our colony," the hooded ant said, low and deliberate, "but also granted a position of authority within the army. Your stores of food and water will be abundant, more than you could ever require."
"I find your proposal… agreeable," Vladimir said, voice smooth, almost savoring the promise.
"I have already provided you with the colony's strategic intelligence—resources, troop formations, storage locations, even possible escape routes," Vladimir continued, his voice dipping into something colder, sharper. "My loyalty to this venture is absolute. Yet…" His tone lowered, almost a whisper, a thread of menace beneath the calm. "Should there be the slightest hint of betrayal, know that I will personally see to it that the consequences are total."
The hooded ant chuckled softly, almost admiring the subtle menace. "Your concern is noted. You have my word; our allegiance is unwavering."
The hooded ant then inclined its head, eyes gleaming with quiet calculation. "Then in three days, the operation commences, we will invade and conquer this colony. Ensure that no suspicion is drawn. Maintain your routine meticulously. And manipulate the soldiers' patrols—leave them exposed and unprepared, so that we strike with both advantage and precision."
Vladimir paused, tilting his head as if savoring the inevitability of their plan. "Consider it done," he said smoothly. "By the appointed time, their defenses will be as fragile as you require."
"Very well," the hooded ant said, voice devoid of warmth. "We reconvene in three cycles."
A subtle nod, and the figure disappeared into the shadows of the tunnel.
As Vladimir turned to leave, his gaze suddenly pierced through the narrow crack in the wall.
Ari held his breath. Their eyes locked. For a heartbeat, he was certain he had been discovered. Then Vladimir's expression shifted—calm, unreadable—and he finally looked away, retreating down the corridor.
Did he see me? No… the crack is far too narrow, Ari thought, forcing himself to remain motionless.
Still, the truth of what he had overheard weighed heavily. If Vladimir truly cared for Tanya as he claimed, why gamble with her safety, the Queen's trust, and the survival of the colony for personal gain?
No… there had to be another motive.
That bastard.
The realization sank into Ari's chest like a blade. What if Tanya trusted him too blindly to question his intentions? What if she dismissed my warning as the ramblings of an outsider—a starving prisoner with no influence?
His hands clenched.
"What am I to do…?" he whispered, voice trembling with tension.
Even if she believed him, the danger was far from over. Tanya's kindness was a shield of spirit, not strategy. If she approached the Queen, Vladimir could twist her words. If she confronted him, he could silence her as easily as he nearly silenced Ari.
He had to warn her. She needed to alert the Queen before it was too late.
I just hope she returns tomorrow… as she promised.