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. Ari hadn't even done anything to deserve this punishment, yet Vladimir treated him as if he had committed a serious crime. Hunger gnawed at Ari's insides, his stomach clenching painfully as he lay there, weak and exhausted.
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.
"Here you go. Take this—you must be starving," Tanya said, handing him food through the bars of his cell.
Ari's eyes widened in shock and gratitude. Without hesitation, he grabbed the food and began devouring it. "Thank you so much, Princess, but why do this for me?" he asked between bites.
"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 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 earlier 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! Here's some water—drink up!" Tanya said, 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," 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," 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.
A few hours passed, and Ari was suddenly awakened by the sound of footsteps outside his prison cell. He kept still, listening intently.
"I hope all the preparations are in place, Vladimir. We are losing our patience," said an unfamiliar voice, its tone sharp and irritated.
"Yes, everything will go as planned, as long as you don't screw up and forget your end of the bargain," Vladimir replied smoothly.
What the hell is he talking about, and who is he talking to? Ari wondered. Through a small crack in the prison wall, he spotted movement. Two figures stood in the dimly lit corridor. One was Vladimir, his posture relaxed yet calculating. The other was an ant shrouded in a hood made of leaves, its form partially hidden in the shadows.
"You will not only get to become part of our colony," the hooded ant said, its voice low and deliberate, "but also receive a high rank in our army. You will have an endless supply of food and water—more than you could ever need."
"I like the sound of that," Vladimir said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.
"I've already given you confidential information about our colony's resources, army formations, storage locations, and even our escape routes," Vladimir continued, his tone shifting to something darker. "I am fully invested in this. However…" His voice dropped into a cold whisper. "If I even once get the feeling that you're screwing me over, I will personally see to it that every last one of you is slaughtered."
The hooded ant chuckled. "You can rest assured that we won't betray you. You have my word."
Vladimir nodded. "Then we will commence the invasion and conquer this colony in three days' time. Just make sure not to arouse suspicion. Act as you usually do. Also, find a way to throw off the soldier ants' patrol schedules. We need them vulnerable so we can strike with both superior numbers and strategy."
Vladimir tilted his head slightly, considering. "That, I can do. I'll make sure our security is weakened by then."
"Good," the hooded ant said, his tone devoid of warmth. "I'll see you in three days."
The hooded ant gave a small nod before turning and disappearing into the darkness of the tunnel.
As Vladimir was about to leave, his gaze suddenly flicked to the crack in the prison wall.
Ari held his breath. Their eyes met.
For a brief moment, shock flickered across Vladimir's face. He staggered back slightly, his expression faltering.
Did he see me? No… that's not possible. The crack is too small, Ari thought, forcing himself to remain still.
But he couldn't ignore the truth of what he had just heard. Vladimir had betrayed the colony—for what? A high rank and a promise of food?
That bastard.
If he was so concerned about Tanya, then why would he betray the Queen and the Princess' trust?
Ari had to tell Tanya about this. She needed to warn the Queen before it was too late.
He just hoped she came back tomorrow like she said she would.