"Ari…"
A faint voice whispered through the darkness.
"Please… don't let them take me away."
"No… Princess Emilia!"
Ari shouted as he stretched his hand into the air, jolting awake.
His chest heaved as cold sweat clung to his body. He blinked several times, his breathing uneven as he stared around him.
Dim sunlight filtered through the ceiling of leaves and sticks above him.
Ari lowered his hand slowly.
"Where…?"
His eyes moved across the unfamiliar surroundings as he tried to catch his breath.
"Where… where am I?" He muttered.
"I see you're finally awake," said a familiar voice.
Ari turned his head.
Lily approached, carrying a small resin basin filled with water. A faint smile rested on her face as she walked toward him.
"Corporal Lily…" Ari said, trying to sit up.
"Ahh!"
Pain shot through his body. Ari dropped back onto the crude bed of dried leaves and woven sticks, his face tightening as he grabbed his side.
"Easy there," Lily said.
She quickly knelt beside him and steadied his shoulder.
Ari took a slow breath, trying to push himself up again.
She pressed him back down.
"Don't even think about it."
She glanced over the medicinal saps covering his body.
"Zyroth really did a number on you."
"You're hurt pretty badly."
Lily shook her head and let out a quiet breath.
"Honestly, I'm still surprised you survived that beating. And somehow, you even managed to get back on your feet afterward."
She looked him straight in the eyes.
"You're either incredibly stubborn…"
A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
"…or completely reckless."
"I don't have time to rest."
Ari clenched his teeth.
"I have to save her."
Lily stared at him for a moment.
Then a mischievous smile slowly appeared on her face.
"You really think you're going anywhere in that condition?" she asked. "What are you even going to accomplish besides getting yourself killed?"
"I don't care what happens. I made her a promise."
"Oh?"
Lily leaned closer.
"Then I suppose I'll have to stop you myself."
Ari blinked.
"What?"
Lily climbed onto the edge of the bed and placed a hand against his chest. She gently pushed him back down.
"You're staying right here."
"Lily…"
"Nope."
She smiled.
"Not happening."
Ari's face flushed.
"Oh?"
Lily's grin widened.
"What's with that face?"
"N-Nothing."
"Is that so?"
Lily chuckled.
Ari released a slow breath.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"A little."
Lily leaned closer again.
"Besides, if I can't stop you with reason, maybe I'll have to get creative."
Ari's eyes widened.
"W-Wait a second."
Lily's smile widened.
"Got your attention, didn't I?"
What does she mean…? No. Don't think about it. She's just an ant. Just an ant.
He grabbed his hair with both hands and pulled at it.
Then Lily laughed softly and climbed back off the bed.
"Just kidding."
"What?!"
Ari's face turned bright red.
The infamous Lily strikes again.
Lily folded her arms.
"Hehe."
"Oh, you were really worried there, weren't you?"
"Shut up."
Ari grabbed a large leaf and pulled it over his face.
Lily crouched beside the bed.
"At least now I've got you calm enough to listen."
She rested her hands on her knees.
"Now, forget about charging off to rescue Emilia for a sec and hear me out."
"Because what I'm about to tell you isn't going to be easy."
"First off, Lance Lance was the one who carried you all the way out here after the fight. You owe him," Lily said. "And Corporal Sylvie was the one who treated your wounds. I helped, of course."
"Corporal Sylvie…"
"Hmm, Good thing she was here this time. Knowing Sylvie, she could've been off somewhere in the forest on another one of her adventures."
"I see…" Ari said. "When I see her, I'll thank her."
"Now then, it's time you understood something," Lily said.
She looked Ari straight in the eyes.
"You can't save the princess."
Ari's expression tightened.
"You've grown stronger since you came here. I won't deny that. But you can't take on Zyroth by yourself."
Lily paused.
"And Zyroth isn't alone."
"He has four generals with him, along with hundreds of powerful grasshoppers. If their fortress is anything like the reports say, there could be at least six hundred of them guarding it."
Ari's fingers tightened around the edge of the bed.
"Even an average grasshopper is more than a match for someone like me or Beatrice."
Lily shook her head.
"So tell me, Ari. How are you planning to get through all of that?"
"I don't care about the odds," Ari said. "I made a promise to Princess Emilia. I swore I'd protect her."
Lily sighed.
"You're such a handful."
Ari looked away.
Lily stood up.
"We're planning another expedition soon. It's supposed to be a food gathering mission. We only have ten days left before the time limit is up."
Ari's eyes widened.
No way... I've been unconscious for four days?
"We've been thinking about using the expedition as a chance to get her back."
Lily gave him a small smile.
"So just be patient, okay? If we play this carefully, we might be able to get Emilia back without starting a war."
"That's not enough. Even if we get her back, they'll come again next winter. And the one after that."
"This endless cycle will never stop. We have to put an end to this. For good."
Lily let out a quiet sigh.
"You really don't know when to quit, do you?"
She shook her head.
"Do you even understand what you're asking for?"
"Putting an end to Zyroth? That's suicide. You already experienced that firsthand. We can't just break the system he's forced on us. We're not strong enough to take him on."
"That's a load of crap!"
Ari shoved himself upright.
"I've fought beside all of you! I know how strong you are!"
His breathing grew heavier.
"So why? Why do you all just stand by and do nothing?"
"Shut up!"
Lily's voice echoed.
She lowered her head, her hands tightening at her sides.
"You don't even know the half of it."
She took a slow breath.
"Do you think we wanted to live like this? In fear? As slaves to monsters like him?"
"Lily…"
"We had a choice once."
Her voice trembled.
"And we chose to resist. But we lost."
She swallowed.
"They were too strong. We weren't prepared for what they could do."
Her eyes dropped to the floor.
"I had to watch my mother and father die right in front of me. I couldn't save them."
Lily's voice grew quieter.
"I was just a child. I couldn't even scream. I just…"
Her voice caught.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
Ari swallowed hard.
"Lily… I didn't know."
"Valeria lost her father too."
She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.
"She was just a child when Zyroth defeated him. She still carries those scars."
Lily looked toward the entrance.
"And the queen…"0
"The queen had to watch her only daughter being dragged away while she sat there, unable to do anything."
Lily took a few steps away from the bed.
"So the next time you blame us, think about that."
She glanced back at Ari.
"Don't ask why we didn't act."
Lily turned toward the entrance.
"And we paid the price."
She started walking away.
"We're going on that expedition soon," she said over her shoulder. "If you care even a little about Emilia or this colony, you'll stay here."
She stopped.
"If you go charging in like this, you'll only get yourself killed."
Lily walked out.
Ari slowly lowered himself back onto the bed.
I had no idea they'd gone through so much…
His fingers curled against the dried leaves beneath him.
But the truth is… they fought.
Ari reached beside the bed and pulled out the pair of mandibles.
He turned them over slowly in his hands.
"These were her father's… huh?"
His thumb traced along the worn surface.
"She was right."
Ari lowered his gaze.
"I was reckless. I didn't think it through."
His grip tightened around the mandibles.
"And now Emilia's gone. Because of me."
Ari clenched his jaw.
"Because I couldn't protect her."
He stared down at the mandibles.
"Because I wasn't strong enough."
For a moment, he said nothing.
Zyroth is strong. That's clear. I barely survived our last encounter.
He slowly closed his eyes.
With my current strength, I don't stand a chance.
Ari opened his eyes.
But that doesn't mean I'll give up. I'll train harder if I have to.
His voice became steadier.
"I'll become stronger."
Ari stared toward the entrance Lily had disappeared through.
"Strong enough to challenge even Zyroth."
"I won't let Emilia suffer anymore."
He lowered his head.
"And I won't let this colony live in fear for another winter."
The light flickered before him, casting a faint glow across his eyes.
Far down in the colony, behind a large boulder, Valeria stood alone in the meeting chamber beside the throne.
Her fingers slowly curled into her palms.
She lowered her head.
A long silence passed.
Then she caught her lower lip between her teeth.