Two of them walk for ten minute and found no sign of any ant even though a few walks past by before but now when they needed one all of them vanish.

“Hello! Can anyone here us?” Eirian shout but no answer come.

“We follow Amy direction correctly right?” Eirian turns to Calamity after they reach the final step but wemba is still nowhere to be seen.

“Yes”

“Can you use your nose to track our old path?”

“Some ant already covers our sense with pheromone, I can’t track anything.” Calamity gives a calm answer.

Another ten-minute pass and Eirian is start to worry more and more. The air seem colder and getting harder to breath, one tunnel path only led to more tunnels that never seem to end. It also didn’t help that Calamity seem to be unfaded by their situation. Eirian makes the orb brighter to try calm himself.

“Great now I know what Josh feel. And we are definitely loss.”

Finally, after other 20 minutes they found a group of 3 small ant worker and Eirian rush to them while holding a light orb “Thank the eternal! You have no idea how we’re glad to found you”

Eirian stops when he noticed the ant lift their leg to try block the light “Sorry” he cancels his magic so only green glow from lamp remain. “I’m sorry for disturb your work but we are lost and would like to ask you to take us back to wemba”

The three ants don’t respond. They grind their own chompers jaw and try to tap Eirian belly with their antenna.

“Can you guy speak English? lingua latina? Français? Any language at all?”

The three remain silent before one of them tap his antenna with other two and gesture Eirian to follow him.

“You want us to follow? thank you so much”

Other two ant walk in other direction as this one ant lead Eirian and Calamity for 15 minutes down to lower level.

‘Wait why is it feel like we are going deeper’

“Are you sure this is the way?”

The ant didn’t answer.

“What are the odd we’re being lure to capture and eat.” Eirian whisper to Calamity.

“Very high but I doubt they can beat me”

“Great, some comfort” he said but if twenty ant swarm him even Eirian is not sure how long he can fight them off in this dark abyss.

Holding on to hope Eirian starts to see a green glow ahead and thought he has found another student but it was an ant reading a book alone.

The ant that guides Eirian walk to tap his antenna with another small ant who is reading before leaving.

“He-Hello how can I help you m’lord” the ant with the book struggle to speak. From his voice Eirian can tell he is a male.

Thank the eternal this one speaks “We were with Prof. Tonia class but got loss. Can you help us get back to wemba where she is right now?”

“lady Onia yes-yes”

“Tonia”

“dae wha I said”

“Oh ok” Eirian looks at the row of 5 book he got and see he is reading about a history of Amiel and the birth of magic.

“You like to read? I don’t see many ants reading at all.”

“Reading is no necessary for our work; many worker can no read bud I do read in my break as much as I can.”

“An inquisitive one isn’t you”

“Equieive? Wha does id mean?”

“to be curious”

“wha is curious mean?”

“To want to learn I guess”

“I like learning. Learning fun.”

“It sure is.” Eirian feels more comfortable “My name is Eirian may I ask your name Mr.?”

“I don have a name”

Don’t have a name? “How do you guy refer to yourself when talking?”

“pheromone”

“Wait then how does your Ante assign you a job if he doesn’t remember any of you guy?”

“We worker can pick a job of our own preference but if de colony have any need everyone can do everyone else job. We follow pheromone and we pass on pheromone as dey come.”

“Ah like a hive mind.”

“I don ged doo dalk with Human a lod. No many down here.”

“Oh no I’m not human. I’m Amiel, gold blond hair and eyes see” Eirian point at his hair.

“Sorry my eye no good” he speaks in fear of punishment.

“It alright Don’t be afraid. I was wondering if you know a way back to a wemba where Prof. Tonia is?”

“You wan back wemba. I bring you. Forlow me.”

Eirian and Calamity then follow our ant back the way they come although Eirian feel like they are walking in circle he thinks this ant is trustworthy enough.

“You doo los quite far. Lady Onia is on level 3 dis is level 7.”

“7?” Eirian exclaims and think of Amy “may I ask which floor is the pond at?”

“6”

‘Maybe I should have jump into that pit with Amy after all’

“I beg m’lord to not say anyone about my book. No many know but few workers. I don know wha m’lord and lady will dink.”

Do ant workers allowed to read? Do they even have right at all? “Reading a few books wouldn’t be a crime for you right? And even if it is you should speak up. Everyone should be free to learn whatever he chooses.”

“No No. Don say anyone please.” he turns around to beg Eirian.

“I will stand up for you. You should know that reading any book is a simple thing that every country allows.”

“No—No our way—no my places. Keep silend or m’lord will grab my book away.” the ant bows down at Eirian feet.

Eirian wants to help him to be able to read without worry ever again but seeing him beg like this Eirian can only agree with him for now.

“Alright alright I won’t say anything. Our lip is seal right Calamity.”

Calamity didn’t answer.

“See his lip is seal already Mr. Ant.”

“hank you m’lords hank you” the ant said.

Feeling weird just calling him ant Eirian have an idea “What if we want to talk with you again how can we ask others ant about you? Would you like to have a name? How about you name yourself?”

‘Is that ok to said?’ Eirian worries if this is not even allowed in their custom.

“A name” the ant voice lifts up as if he was waiting for someone to give this permission for a long time “Ardhur. A name of characer from book I like.”

Arthur dare looks up at Eirian face for the first time “Do you think id good?”

“Arthur, that a good name” said Eirian as he turns to Calamity to make him nod.

“Ardhur. I am Ardhur.”

“Nice to meet you Arthur” Eirian smiles as he watches this little ant light up in joy. Now he knows what happy ant look like.

Finally, after a long walk Eirian and Calamity is back at the wemba where everyone is waiting for them. The wemba however is different, there is a MAM lamp casting a big orb of light atop of the fort illuminate the whole Wemba. Now he can see every tunnel and the whole fort in all its glory.

“You guy are finally back” said Amy “Where have you two been?”

“We were lost but thank to Arthur he guides us back here.”

“Arthur?” Amy looks at little ant behind Eirian and walk up to tap her antenna with him. Compare to Amy size, Arthur looks like a child.

“Thank you bring my friend back here. Can you speak?”

“a few m’lady” said Arthur face down.

“Where did you find them?”

“Floor 7”

“7?!” Amy looks at Eirian but he looks aways “How do you even? Never mind at least you’re back now we were starting to worry if you fall into one of the holes.”

“Thank you Arthur” Amy study a worker in front of her “How do you come by that name?”

“Err...lord Eirian name me when he wan know my name. I don have one so he gave me.”

I what? “Right” Eirian quicky find his answer “I name him since it feels weird to just call him Mr. Ant you know.”

“I see. Arthur, like king Arthur, a good name. If you name yourself other ante might thought you have some ambition” Amy amuses “You shouldn’t introduce yourself with that name too much since it could bring trouble but begin the only worker with name I can already see the gossip about you Arthur. I know I will hear of you again.”

Eirian feels like he can see Arthur swallow in fear on the inside.

“That will be all. You may return to your work.” said Amy.

“Yes m’lady” Arthur looks at Eirian one last time before vanish into the tunnel along with other ants.

‘If I see him again will I able to recognize him?’ for outsider all ant looks the same.

“What with the light” Calamity speaks direct at Amy after Arthur gone.

“Prof. Tonia light it up for Josh. He starts flying in blind and hit the wall but he is better now. Come they were worry about you.”

Looking at the far-right Eirian can’t help but feel relief when he sees the face of his teammate.

“You’re back thanks father Pan. We thought something might happen when Amy comes back alone.” Biscuit smile while still stand right next to Josh and Bill to help clam the panic bird. A few lose feather drop on the ground.

“Can we leave now” Josh speaks with alarmed in his voice, his eye lock at the wall worry it might close in.

Eirian turns to Prof. Tonia who along with a small group of ants start to count the number of student and call them to gather “Every student is accounted for we can leave now so please follow Marco’s green lamp just like before everyone”

Just a few days before Eirian look forward to explore an ant colony but now he just glad they’re finally leaving this place. He properly won’t come back to visit anytime soon.

When entering tunnel Josh close his eye and let Bill and Biscuit who is holding both of his wing to guide him back upstair “Lady Estellia please protect guide me back home” he said.

“Don’t worry we’ll leave the tunnel before you know it.” said Bill and Josh thank both of them.

Everyone then enter the tunnel and from the walking rate Josh is not the only one who wish to leave this place as soon as possible. Most wolf and bird seem to dislike this place as well.

On the way Eirian turn to speak with Amy allude to Arthur “Is it wrong for worker to have a name?”

“It’s not a worker place to have a name Eirian.” Amy expresses her displease with Eirian action “We ant have a clear role for everyone. A royal ante to manage the colony and a worker to do the labor. We each born in a body suit for our own task, none of us get to choose, a worker is smaller and weaker than the royal ant. Most can’t speak nor read nor use magic. They are to serve the colony as a hand and feet while ante born to be a head to think and guide them.”

“It seem...” ‘uncivilized? Barbaric? Stupid?’ Eirian tries to find a word that won’t insult her people way “... unsophisticated to use a system where you fate is fix the moment you were born. What if some ant workers are good at using head? Or ante that love simple job?”

“Maybe there are some” a hesitation in her voice “but to appease to every ant wishes is not efficient for the colony to function. Our people survive because we put the need of the hive first not our own this has always been our people way. I too don’t wish to be a diplomat but I can’t just run off from my duty so I will do it to my best. If our people care only for self-serving then our people would extinct in the great cleansing long ago. And you will only see us as a tiny bug in a ground if you would see us at all.”

Eirian understands what Amy is saying but he still feels this is wrong.

“Then let Arthur keep his role his work, me naming him wouldn’t affect the colony is it? Give him some confident and sense of self to serve the hive better.”

“You giving him a name might already make his life harder and call unwanted attention from both his peer and any ante who manage him. If you really concern for him then don’t do anything further”

“So... hypothetically if I want to give a book to worker for them to read as a past time it would be bad?” Eirian smile when Amy looks at him confused.

“Read? What would any worker have a use for book they can’t read? Worker found joy in their work. They’re born for it, live and die for it. If you tell me or anyone that there is an ant who read then that ant must be using book as an excuse to not do his work. A worker work day and night Eirian they sleep only a few minutes per episodes around 70-80 times a day. There is no time to read unless they skip work or sleep.”

“Oh, I guess that idea is a no then” Eirian has more question but decide it properly a good idea to stop now or he might give Arthur a problem.

Calamity watches them from behind but don’t say anything.

Finally, when they reach the exit and Josh can see they sky he opens his wing and try to fly out into the sun with delight but found his tail has been pull by someone.

“whare aa yuu going” Amy speaks with her mouth grabbing Josh’s tail.

“Outside” Josh state the obvious and stop flying so Amy let him go.

“Have you already forgotten about our question for Prof. Tonia?”

“Right! I completely forgot but can we ask her outside? In the sun?” a crow points his wing at the exit and make plea before the ant.

Amy rolls her head and walk out with everyone before finally ask a question that she been waiting to know.

“Lady Tonia If we may ask a question about our history, did our ancestor really almost destroy the world by expand and consume everything too fast?” she asked Prof. Tonia with Josh and her teammate stand close by to listen.

“Prof. Rio told me about you two, it always good to have a student who eager to learn even if the lesson is uncomfortable truth.” Tonia turns to Amy and gently tap her head.

“Then it true? We are evil?”

“I wouldn’t rush to call it evil lady Amy. Just a new species yet to adapt our behavior to a new found power and consume too much then the world can regrow. I wasn’t born yet when our empire reaches the peak of our power but I do remember what our queen told us of what happen. We were very lucky one queen egg survive and princess Alana grant us a land so we may have a home after all our territory were divided after the war. There was a decade where everyone thought we were extinct but our people endure and learn from our mistake.”

Everyone keeps silent but look to Amy reaction. From her shaking it can be assumed this is not general knowledge that most ant knew.

“Do not be ashamed of our past nor hide from its lady Amy. Live and learn so that you can do better, go and befriend our old enemy who once seek to destroy us just as we try to destroy them. It’s the least we can do for princess Alana who show us mercy when everyone of her counsel told her to finish our people off.”

Amy seems shook at what she heard but she only nod in silent before leaving to go back to her room. Tonia told her to come back anytime if she has any question or just want to talk. Josh seems to have something to say but choose to let her go without word.