The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Mikhailis looked over at Elowen, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

"Now that I think about it, you didn't really get surprised when I told you I'm a former prince, did you?"

Elowen smiled knowingly, her golden eyes flickering with amusement.

"Why would I be? It was obvious from the start. The way you behaved in the castle was too natural. Your etiquette, your confidence, the way you weren't even fazed by all the formalities. If anything, it felt like you'd lived an even more lavish life before." She gave him a teasing look.

Before Mikhailis could respond, Rodion's voice cut in, cool and precise as always.

<Even a fool would notice that you're from a background of extreme luxury, Mikhailis>

Mikhailis rolled his eyes.

"Oh, shut up, Rodion."

The two of them walked slowly, their hands intertwined, the warmth of Elowen's palm a comforting presence in the cool night. The Chimera Ant variants formed an escort around them. Scurabons flanked them, two on each side, their armored exoskeletons glistening under the sunlight. The Frog Variant led the group at the front, its muscular form bounding ahead with a group of ten Chimera Ant soldiers following. Bringing up the rear, ten more Chimera Ant soldiers marched in formation alongside the Hypnoveil Variant, whose antennae glowed softly in the darkness.

The rest of the Chimera Ant soldiers had already returned to the nest, a sprawling underground hive directly beneath Silvarion Thalor's royal castle. The workers were busy transporting the bodies of the Thalorian Goblins and Tanglebeetles they had fought earlier. Mikhailis knew those corpses would serve as a valuable source of nourishment for the growing colony—there were about a hundred corpses in total, a promising harvest. He felt a strange sense of satisfaction knowing that, even here, in this fantasy world, nature worked in cycles: waste turned to sustenance, and life gave rise to more life.

They were far from the nest—almost 200 kilometers away—but the Chimera Ants had constructed an underground tunnel system that stretched this far, allowing them to travel efficiently and support Mikhailis whenever needed. Unknown to Mikhailis until now, Rodion had secretly kept five Chimera Ants following them from below the ground, ready to assist if anything went wrong. Apparently, Rodion had thought this was the perfect opportunity for a field experiment.

<This region has yet to be fully explored. With the addition of new variants, it would be an ideal opportunity to gather information, particularly on the Thalorian Goblins. The Hypnoveil Variant could potentially control the goblins, expanding our influence>

There was a hint of excitement in Rodion's tone, and Mikhailis couldn't help but smile.

"That's an interesting idea, Rodion. But let's get to a safe place first, all right?" he said, glancing at Elowen.

She seemed in no hurry, her eyes filled with warmth as she looked at him.

"We can take our time," she murmured, squeezing his hand gently.

Rodion spoke again.

<I am escorting you to safety with the chimera ants right now, Mikhailis>

Mikhailis chuckled, shaking his head.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll talk about the Thalorian Goblins once we regroup, okay?"

Elowen giggled at their exchange, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"You know, it's funny how you and Rodion always seem to bicker," she said.

"When it's just me and Rodion, we work together so smoothly."

Rodion chimed in almost immediately.

<The discrepancy arises due to Mikhailis's unpredictability and unreasonable demands>

Mikhailis smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just too unique for your parameters."

Elowen laughed softly, shaking her head.

"You two really are something."

She looked around, taking in the sight of the forest bathed in the soft glow of early morning light, the sun filtering through the thick canopy. There was a surreal beauty to it, a reminder that they were in a world so different from the one Mikhailis had once called home.

As they walked, Mikhailis's laughter faded, replaced by a sense of wonder as he took in his surroundings. Back on Earth, he had been an entomologist, accustomed to field surveys in search of rare insects. He remembered the first time he found the Chimera Ant egg.

Mikhailis found the Chimera Ant egg while conducting field research. Initially, he was unsure of what the object was—it appeared to be a strange organic mass encased in a tough, translucent membrane. He was fascinated by its unique structure, so he brought it back to his lab to analyze it further. With Rodion's assistance, they performed a series of non-invasive tests first, such as spectroscopic analysis to identify the chemical composition of the membrane.

After the initial results came in, they moved on to attempting to pierce the outer shell without damaging whatever lay inside. Using precision cutting tools, they gradually applied pressure, testing the material's resistance to different blades and lasers. Each step required careful adjustments to avoid harming the egg's contents. They even tried thermal scanning to see if there was a reaction from changes in temperature, but the membrane proved unusually resistant to all their techniques.

Finally, after careful planning, they decided to apply a precise incision and crack it open. When the membrane split, they were amazed to find a small embryonic form—something that seemed to be part-insect and part-chimeric organism. It was a blend of features unlike anything they had ever seen, and Mikhailis, driven by his natural curiosity, continued to nurture and study the creature. Little did he know then that it would grow into the Chimera Ant Queen, which would later play a vital role in his life in this new world.

His eyes darted around, taking in the various plants and trees that surroundd them. The vegetation was unlike anything he had ever seen. Tall, spindly trees twisted in intricate patterns, their bark glowing faintly, a bioluminescence that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. Huge ferns with deep purple leaves swayed in the breeze, while clusters of mushrooms, as large as dinner plates, glowed blue at their base.

Mikhailis's eyes continued to dart around as he walked, taking in the new and strange flora around them. In particular, there were certain plants that Rodion had mentioned before—plants that had been described in some of the books scanned from this world's encyclopedias. These plants, often found in remote, dark parts of the forest, were known to be capable of entrapping and consuming living beings, including humans.

Mikhailis could identify a few of them by sight. For example, a vine-like plant known as Vermillion Maw had tendrils with suction-cup-like pads. Once triggered, the tendrils would coil around the victim and slowly digest them through the suction pads, extracting nutrients over several days. Another plant, Gloomthorn, produced a sweet-smelling nectar to attract creatures to its base, where hidden needle-like spines would pierce the unsuspecting prey, paralyzing them before they were slowly broken down. The information had stuck with him—a reminder of the strange dangers that even the plant life held in this world. He crouched down, eyeing a small cluster of these dangerous vines, his curiosity piqued at their mechanisms.

Rodion's earlier scans and data cross-references provided valuable insight into these plants, and seeing them in real life only made Mikhailis more intrigued.

Nature here is a lot more aggressive compared to Earth, he mused silently, his fascination for both the beauty and the dangers of this new world growing by the minute.

Mikhailis couldn't resist—he let go of Elowen's hand for a moment, darting over to examine a particular patch of vegetation. He crouched low, taking in the vibrant colors, the intricate patterns on the leaves.

"Incredible," he muttered to himself, reaching into his pocket to pull out a small magnifying glass. He carefully inspected the veined surface of a large leaf, marveling at the iridescent colors shifting beneath its surface.

Elowen watched him, her eyes warm, a gentle smile on her lips. She found his excitement contagious, the way he completely lost himself in his curiosity.

Rodion, however, interrupted her thoughts.

<Forgive him, this is just the usual Mikhailis, Your Majesty>

Elowen chuckled, shaking her head.

"I know," she replied softly. "This is the Mikhailis that I love."

There was a brief pause, as if Rodion were processing her words. Then:

<If you have finished observing your subject, may I proceed with another suggestion?>

Elowen smiled wryly, realizing how intensely she'd been watching Mikhailis.

"You're starting to sound prickly to me too, Rodion," she said.

"Is it because I'm back on good terms with Mikhailis?" She sighed playfully.

"All right, what do you want to ask?"

Rodion's response was immediate.

<As the existence of the Chimera Ants is now known to you, it presents an opportunity to address issues of agricultural inefficiencies in the region. There is potential for experimental use of the ants to construct precise irrigation systems underground and facilitate nutrient cycling by retrieving and distributing ideal nutrient compositions, mitigating nutrient runoff.>

Elowen blinked, a perplexed look on her face.

"I... don't quite understand all that," she admitted.

Mikhailis stood up, brushing some dirt off his knees, a broad smile on his face.

"Allow me to explain." He walked back to Elowen, taking her hand once more.

"Plants need nutrients, right? These nutrients have different names—like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium—and each plant needs different amounts of them to grow well." He paused, his eyes gleaming with enthusiasm.

"But the thing is, when you water plants, a lot of those nutrients can get washed away. That's called nutrient runoff, and it means the plants don't get all the nutrients they need. Rodion's saying we could use the Chimera Ants to bring exactly the right nutrients back to the plants and make sure nothing goes to waste."

Elowen's eyes widened as she processed the information.

"That's... amazing," she said, her voice filled with awe. She squeezed his hand, her eyes brightening.

"Mikhailis, you're full of surprises, you know that?" She looked at him, a playful glint in her eyes.

"We should definitely have a domestic session in our private time—you have so much to teach me!"

Mikhailis laughed, his gaze softening as he looked at her.

"I'd be more than happy to, Elowen." He raised their joined hands to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. Find more to read on empire

"I'm here for you—in all the ways that count."

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from ahead. Mikhailis immediately straightened, his eyes narrowing as he turned towards the noise. Elowen's gaze followed his, her hand slipping out of his to ready herself.

From the thick underbrush emerged three familiar figures—Vyrelda, Lira, and Serelith. Each of them looked equally surprised to see the two standing there, with their guard of Chimera Ants without them knowing have already disappeared and went hiding, which obviously Rodion's instructions.

For a long heartbeat, the clearing was filled with silence, the only sound being the rustling leaves.

""Eh?"" Mikhailis and Elowen both uttered, their voices perfectly in sync with Vyrelda, Lira, and Serelith, who were similarly taken aback by the unexpected encounter.