"Rag-Hak, who are you talking to?" - a 'loud' telepathic voice interrupted us. In one of the wall openings appeared the body of a spider, about one and a half times larger than my interlocutor. My instincts informed me this was a female.

"Seg-Nim-Het, greetings. I found a spider with the awakened genomic memory of the ancients in the worker clutch. He claims to have a plan to provide our colony with food."

"What? Ancient memory? That's just a myth."

"Nevertheless, his intellect is far more developed than that of a newborn worker. So, I think we should at least consider his proposals."

"Ha, what do you know? I make the decisions here." - Seg-Nim-Het looked at me, radiating waves of contempt. - "Well, go ahead, surprise me, little worker. Tell me your plan." - She addressed me. - "If I don't like it, I'll eat you."

If it weren't for my precarious position, I would have torn this creature to pieces in response to such an offer. In principle, I could do it right now. After all, my strength was currently equal to that of a one-tailed Bijuu. However, there was also the unaccounted factor of local magic. So, for now, it was worth voicing my thoughts, especially since the solution wasn't just unoriginal but rather obvious... to anyone with slightly more brains than a spider.

"I think you should evolve and transition from a hunter-gatherer culture to organized agriculture."

"What?" - If spiders had facial expressions, I was sure Seg-Nim-Het's face would display a dumbfounded look. This was precisely the reaction one would expect from a street thug.

"You need to organize your own production of plant biomass in special chambers where optimal conditions for plant growth will be created."

"Do you understand what he said?" – The female spider asked her subordinate.

"It's the dialect of the ancients" - he explained. - "He suggests we grow plants in our underground lairs, creating conditions similar to those on the surface before the Catastrophe."

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"Grow them ourselves? But is that even possible? I mean, we don't have the capabilities to grow plants. And I've never heard of such magic either."

I almost burst out laughing. I had to deactivate my 'speech apparatus' to prevent accidentally transmitting my thoughts to this creature.

"I think he has information on how this process can be organized" - Rag-Hak tactfully noted, pointing at me.

"Hmm... Alright. Then I entrust you with exploring the possibilities of implementing my idea of plant cultivation. You may even use this worker. I'll arrange for enough food to be allocated for him."

"Of course, esteemed Seg-Nim-Het. I will carry out your order and provide a detailed plan of action in accordance with the Queen's will."

"I'm counting on you."

The spider woman gave me another disdainful look and scurried away, radiating hidden smugness and a desire to share her brilliant idea with the Queen herself.

"You should be more mindful of the hierarchy in our society" - Rag-Hak noted after Seg-Nim-Het's footsteps faded away. - "Doubting the orders of a superior is a mortal sin, as is doubting their intellectual abilities. Many of my kin have perished without timely awareness of these simple truths."

"Oh... I actually already realized that. I realized that no matter what brilliant plans I propose, your colony is doomed to extinction."

"What? Why?" - My revelation seemed to knock the wind out of the scholar.

"It's simple. If any doubt in a superior's decisions is punishable by death, then a superior will only have subordinates dumber than themselves. And since we are not immortal, the top of the hierarchy will eventually die. Their place will be taken by dumber subordinates. Then the cycle will repeat again and again until the peak of the social pyramid is occupied by extremely stupid individuals who will destroy themselves and the entire colony in one go. This is the result of natural selection, and in such conditions, extinction is not just likely but absolutely inevitable. Your current situation is precisely the result of this pattern. You couldn't find the obvious solution because the scant intelligence of those who lead you doesn't even allow for the possibility of such a solution existing."

"Are you cleverly saying that we're all stupid idiots incapable of solving the simplest tasks?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

The mage stared grimly at me, fingering his hands. What, already deciding if it's easier to kill me than to hear the truth?