"Help! Help!" Minato's voice echoed in the pitch-black room. His panicked yells bounced off the walls, making it feel even smaller.
"Agh—stop shouting! You're spitting in my face!" Ayato snapped.
"Oh, sorry, Brother Ayato." Minato turned his head to apologize—only to accidentally smack Ayato right in the nose.
"OW! Can you not move? You're going to kill me before the kidnappers do!" Ayato groaned, wriggling against the ropes digging into his wrists. "Sister Rin? Sister Rin, are you here?"
Somewhere in the darkness, Rin's voice mumbled faintly. "Ugh… yes, but I think my face is in someone's shoe."
Ayato grunted, trying to sit up. The ropes were tight—too tight. "Who even does this? And how did those tiny ants become the size of horses?"
Silence.
"…Brother Minato? Minato?"
"I'm here, brother," came the meek reply.
"Then why are you so quiet?"
"You told me to shut up."
Ayato exhaled in pure disbelief. "That was minutes ago."
Before Minato could respond, slow, heavy footsteps began echoing from somewhere beyond the darkness—getting closer… and closer.
Then came the sound of giggles.
A sharp snap of fingers rang out, and suddenly the whole room blazed to life as torches flared along the walls. The three siblings squinted against the sudden light—and froze when they saw who stood there.
"Hello, Kisaragis," purred a familiar voice.
Sayuri stepped into view, her green hair gleaming in the firelight, two enormous black ants looming behind her like guards. One clicked its mandibles threateningly. The other was… licking its own antenna.
"Sayuri!" they all shouted.
"Wow," Rin breathed—not with shock, but almost as if she'd been expecting it.
Minato's face twisted in outrage. "Why would you do this to us? Kidnapping is a serious offense in Kaida—you'll be punished for treason!"
Sayuri smirked. "Oh, no one will ever know. And I didn't kidnap you… they did." She tilted her head toward the giant ants. One of them snapped its jaws for emphasis, though the other just sneezed a puff of dust and looked vaguely confused. "By tomorrow, the only story people will hear is how I witnessed these beasts devour the Kisaragi siblings."
"Why?!" Ayato shouted, struggling against the ropes. "We've done nothing to you!"
"Your clan is nothing but pests—time to clear you out. And your sister?" Sayuri sneered at Rin. "She keeps stealing my glory. Acts like she's in charge, but she's just weak. The only reason anyone tolerates her is because she clings to Akari. Without that, she's nothing—useless."
Rin stayed silent, eyes unreadable.
"You spoiled brat! Untie us right now!" Ayato barked.
Sayuri only leaned closer, smiling wickedly. "Oh, don't worry, Ayato and Minato—" her smirk widened— "or should I say Ayata and Minata? You boys really did make adorable girls."
Behind her, one ant menacingly scraped its legs together, producing a sharp, chittering hiss. The other tried to copy it, tripped over its own legs, and bumped into Sayuri's back.
She whipped around and snapped, "Stand still, you idiot!" The clumsy ant straightened up like a soldier… then slowly waved at the siblings.
"So you're doing this all because of jealousy?" Rin finally spoke, struggling to sit up. "Just because everyone likes me better than you, you want revenge? This is such a pathetic way for a side character like you to get hated. Either way, what we're seeing right now is just a jealous Sayuri bullying the so-called weak character because she feels overshadowed."
Sayuri stared at her blankly, not quite grasping what Rin was getting at. "What are you even saying? You're about to be eaten alive by giant ants. Instead of begging for your life, you're speaking gibberish."
"I don't care what you do," Rin said lazily. "This is fun to me. I've read so many scenes like this—the plan never works. It's either the MC swoops in to save the day or we find a way to escape. Last time? The hero didn't even save me—the villainess did. So I'll just sit here and watch this story unfold. Because in the end, it's going to be bad for you." She shifted, lying back down on the floor. "Might as well close my eyes for this one."
"Is your sister from another universe, or has she just gone insane?" Sayuri muttered.
"Hey, don't call my little sister crazy!" Ayato snapped. "You're the one who's crazy—teaming up with giant ants because of some dumb jealousy."
Minato's voice was sharp. "Do you even know who you kidnapped? The Ice Queen's bride, yes?" He nodded to himself. "When she finds out, she'll kill you. You can kiss your dream of becoming head maiden goodbye."
Sayuri waved him off. "They're the ones doing all the eating. And if the Ice Queen finds out—well, I'm not scared of her." She glanced back at the ants. "Don't worry, the Ice Queen won't freeze you to death. I'll protect you… and your queen."
"...They have a queen?" Minato asked, curiosity edging into his voice.
"Oh, you haven't met their queen?" Sayuri smirked. "She's above you—"
The siblings tilted their heads upward. Then they froze.
Above them loomed a massive nest built into the chamber's ceiling, writhing with movement. Tangled inside the resin walls were human figures—dozens of them—most unconscious, some twitching weakly. And at the center… a monstrous golden ant queen, far larger than the others, her jaws casually tearing a person in half before swallowing the rest whole.
Rin's breath caught. Her wide eyes stayed locked on the queen. For the first time, the reality hit her—no one was coming to save them.
If they were getting out of here alive… she would have to do the saving herself.
She exhaled slowly, the lazy smirk fading from her lips. She'd been pretending to lounge this whole time, but her mind was racing—counting ants, mapping exits, estimating the distance to Sayuri, and quietly testing the ropes for frayed edges.
She'd read enough manga, manhwa, and webtoons to know this setup inside out: villain captures heroine, cue long monologue, then rescue arrives. But this wasn't just a story anymore. She was in it. And if the rescue didn't come…
Sayuri was still gloating, her voice a grating buzz Rin tuned out. Her brothers' ropes scraped against the floor as they struggled—just loud enough for one of the giant ants to twitch its antennae and step closer.
Perfect.
Ants communicate through scent and vibrations. The queen controls everything. If I can mess with her commands…
"Sayuri," Rin said suddenly, her voice calm and deliberate. "Do you know what your problem is?"
Sayuri smirked. "Oh, please. Enlighten me before you're eaten."
"You talk too much." Rin's tone sharpened. "These ants? They don't care about your voice. They only care about the queen's will. And I wonder…" her eyes flicked to the golden monster above, "how loyal they'd be if the queen thought you were the threat."
Sayuri's smirk faltered.
Rin didn't wait—she leaned forward, lowering her voice into a strange, rhythmic hum, deep and resonant, mimicking the vibrations the queen had made earlier when devouring her prey.
The nearest ant froze… then clicked its mandibles twice.
Minato and Ayato both stiffened. "Uh… Rin… what are you—"
Up above, the golden queen shifted in her nest, her massive head lowering, antennae whipping through the air, searching.
Rin's lips curled into the faintest smile. Bingo.
And then… the queen roared.