Although the celebrations officially begin at nightfall with the moon shining in the sky, it is factual that the spiders are already going wild.

The bodies of the defeated scolopendras dangle like net decorations among the trees and Sely loses count of them again and again.

Countless spiders are carrying their fallen in triumph, while others feast on the hanging bodies. By size, each scolopendra is capable of feeding at least four or five spiders at the same time.

The arachnids scream and screech in words Sely cannot understand. In some places, they fight for food, and they form groups where they discuss their exploits.

On the ground, leaves and branches are rearranged by smaller, younger spiders – about the size of Wylco, Sely thinks – to form carpets and shared tables.

Nobody pays attention to Sely who walks staggering and holding on to the trunks of the plants.

Her head doesn't hurt as much, but she still feels weak.

She looks for Filo or the captain. She would also be fine to find Wylco again; at that moment she feels dazed.

It's not that she doesn't like chaos or a festive atmosphere, it's just that...

Everything is so weird …

Tossyllia never explained to her how the insect holidays worked. “Great banquets and brutal confusion.” That's all she said.

Mom, you're right, but I never thought you meant it that way.

Sely lets out a smile. Despite everything she emerged victorious, and she feels grateful to chance and these spiders.

A small group eating on a blanket of leaves beckons to her. They are wounded spiders, some without one or two legs and with their bodies wrapped in grass and cobwebs.

“Come, come, savior!”

Sely turns red.

S-savior!? ...here we exaggerate a bit...

“Come on, don't be shy, and come and eat! They told us you were resting so we didn't come to disturb you!”

The other spiders in the group nod and move their long necks.

In awe, Sely approaches the small group and sits on the leaves.

They are eating one of those strange humanoid scolopendras. As ugly to look at as they are appetizing.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“C-can I?”

“Certain! Help yourself! You must refresh yourself before meeting the king!”

Sely starts serving. Unlike spiders, she has to use her hands to break off pieces to eat and this arouses some interest in them.

“W-well?” she asks red.

“Nothing, nothing, it's just that you eat like humans.”

“Yes, I am partly. My father is human and my mother is however humanoid in appearance.”

A collective “Ooh” makes Sely even more embarrassed.

The spider who called her continues with questions. “So do you really exist? I thought it was an insect legend, like the moon thing.”

Legend? Moon thing?

“In what sense? Insects have hybridized with every species on the planet, right?” Sely bites into a piece and tries not to show her perplexity.

“That's what the Silver Chronicles say, but they say some things.”

“Are you not much of a believer?”

The spider and its companions nod their heads, some of them chuckling.

“No, we have irrefutable evidence that arachnids do not come from the moon. The Silver Chronicles do not concern us.”

“Serious!? I mean, aren't you and I descendants of the moon!? But-but, in the Chronicles...”

“We cannot speak for you, savior. But spiders are terrestrial. We have evolved and you insects have contributed a lot in the last few centuries, but the arachnid ancestors are not lunar beings.”

But that's not possible... arachnids are a vassal species of insects!

I remember that book VIII of the Silver Chronicles says so!

“Do not worry, savior; it's a moment of celebration. Let's rejoice together!” The spider goes back to eating.

Sely relaxes at that invitation.

“You're right, let's eat! And then… ” Sely thinks back to the herbs she had to eat for days, “and then these here are delicious!!!”

The spiders laugh and the situation becomes pleasant.

Later they bring Sely a strange flower nectar, highly alcoholic and prepared by the humans of Vanoge.

“They bring it to us as a gift once a month, it's lunar! Eheh” the proud spider hands a bowl to Sely.

The bowl is a little sticky and Sely turns it over in her hands. It is made of leaves, earth, and spider webs.

It's incredible how many things these spiders can do with webs... I would never have imagined it.

Sely tastes the drink and immediately spits it out.

“AHH! Burn! It burns a lot in the throat!!!”

The spiders laugh and the sun reaches the moment of twilight. The environment becomes black, the shadows mix and visibility is reduced to just the clouds and the flaming sky.

Sely looks for her new friends, perfectly camouflaged in the darkness, and then sees some spiderweb torches light up.

“Oh!” She exclaims the spider. “This is the moment, it will be a great honor to accompany you. Please, Savior; this way!”

Sely grabs one of the spider's legs with her hand. She feels its bristles tickling her but she tries not to laugh.

A great honor?

“Are we going to the king?”

“First we have to get your friend back, he will surely be worried. We warned with wires that you were here, but you never know.”

“I heard it before, but how do you communicate with wires?”

“Pinching them. They vibrate and we can carry messages over great distances. It is a very ancient method, perfected by humans older than those of the flying cities.”

Are humans older than flying cities? They must be the same ones Dad was talking about…

“So you also know the most ancient legends of Selenia?”

The spider laughs. “Hahaha, maybe! It would mean we would be kings. Only kings pass on the great truth. But this is still a limited truth. Spiders as you see us today… well, we are relatively young. A thousand, twelve hundred years ago we were not like this.”

The chat continues for a few minutes. All around, torches and bewitching smells become more prominent.

Until a voice emerges from the darkness: “Sely!”