The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Mikhailis sat comfortably in his room, the soft morning light spilling through the curtains, creating a warm golden glow. He leaned back, feeling the smooth frame of his glasses on his nose as he adjusted them. His fingers flicked against the frame, activating the built-in system.

"Rodion," he whispered, a small grin playing on his lips as he called his AI assistant.

<Yes, Mikhailis.>

The voice, steady and familiar, filled his ears, and Mikhailis felt a sense of relief. It was like hearing from an old friend—one who could be blunt and irritating at times, but still, a friend.

"I believe there's been some more... interesting developments?" Mikhailis asked, leaning back in his bed.

<Indeed. The Chimera Ant Queen has undergone significant changes since you were last conscious. After consuming not only the goblin champion but also remnants of a lich—which, I should note, one of the chimera ants successfully stole from the goblin base—the queen's physiology has been enhanced. Her exoskeleton has thickened, providing greater protection, and she has developed necromantic elements.>

Mikhailis's eyes widened, and he almost choked on his own breath.

"Wait, wait, hold up. Are you telling me she's got necromancy now?" His voice betrayed a hint of excitement. He couldn't help it. The idea of his chimera ants having a necromancer queen sounded so over-the-top, it was straight out of one of those novels he used to read.

<In a way. Though, to be more precise, she now has the potential for necromancy. However, do not get carried away. Just because she possesses the element does not mean she can immediately summon an undead army. Magical skills, Mikhailis, are learned over time. Unlike in those... what do you call them... "novels" that you seem to take as educational material.>
Continue your journey on empire

Mikhailis clicked his tongue, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Yeah, yeah. Stop mocking me, Rodion. You know some of those novels had decent ideas. Besides, who doesn't want a queen who can summon zombies?"

<The practicality of necromancy aside, it is worth remembering that true magical capabilities in this world require practice, trial, and often failure. I would suggest you temper your expectations accordingly.>

Mikhailis leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers tapping against the glass screen in front of him.

Alright, alright, I get it. It's not an instant power-up. Still, it's cool.

He glanced back at Lira, who was still fast asleep beside the bed, her head resting against the mattress. Her peaceful face brought a soft warmth to his chest—a rare feeling.

"So, anything else I should know about? And don't give me the 'I already told you the important bits' excuse. Come on, Rodion, spill it."

<You never cease to amuse me, Mikhailis. Very well. There have been other developments within the colony. First, the chimera ants under the queen's command have also grown in size, albeit only slightly. However, their strength has increased significantly. Some of them have developed a unique death aura—a direct result of the necromantic energy introduced to their ecosystem. Others exhibit hardened, greenish exoskeletons, likely due to their excessive consumption of goblin bodies.>

Rodion paused, and Mikhailis tilted his head.

"What? What is it?"

<The eggs. They've begun hatching.>

Mikhailis's heart skipped a beat.

"The eggs? I thought we were only expecting the first batch—like, what, 150 of them?"

<That was the expectation, yes. However, due to the ascension of the queen and her new power, it appears that all 850 eggs have begun hatching simultaneously.>

Mikhailis blinked, his jaw dropping slightly.

"Eight hundred and fifty? You're telling me we've got an entire army of larvae just popping out at once?"

<Indeed. There are now 450 worker ants and 400 soldier ants in the larval stage. They will mature rapidly—within a day, in fact—and provide a substantial boost to the colony's power. This phenomenon appears to be linked to the queen's ascension in rank, causing accelerated growth and development within her offspring.>

Mikhailis sat back, running a hand through his messy hair. He let out a low whistle, shaking his head.

"That's... that's something. I mean, it's a lot. More than I bargained for, really." He couldn't help but laugh. The idea of his chimera ant army growing overnight from a few hundred to nearly a thousand was a little overwhelming—but in a good way.

This changes everything, Mikhailis thought.

With this many soldiers, they could finally divide their forces in a meaningful way. He could keep some protecting the nest, the queen, and his small clone still back at the egg-like throne. And then, there could be the group that would follow him—a force he could use to explore, to fight, to be his eyes and ears in this strange fantasy world.

"Alright, Rodion. That's incredible. We're going to have an army out there and still enough to defend the nest. Things are looking up."

Just as Mikhailis finished speaking, Rodion's voice interrupted him, tinged with an urgency that caught his attention.

<Mikhailis, another development. The large green egg—it is beginning to hatch.>

Mikhailis felt his stomach tighten, his eyes widening.

"The big one? Show me, Rodion."

A feed appeared in front of his glasses, showing the hatchery. The massive green egg was shaking, cracks forming along its glossy surface. The chimera ants around it stepped back, their antennae twitching, and Mikhailis watched, his heart pounding in anticipation.

The egg cracked, pieces of shell falling away, and from within emerged a creature that made Mikhailis's eyes widen in shock. It looked like a Thalorian goblin—but it wasn't quite right. Its form was more monstrous, its skin covered in an insect-like exoskeleton that gleamed a dark green. Its feet were covered in wolf fur, its legs powerful, and on its shoulders and arms, skulls fashioned into gauntlets and armor.

"What in the..." Mikhailis whispered, leaning closer to the feed. The creature stood tall, its eyes gleaming, its body a strange combination of goblin and chimera ant.

<This is a new chimera ant variant, resulting from the Chimera Queen consuming your former goblin champion body. I shall name it the "Skullborne Ravager.">

Mikhailis couldn't help but let out a low laugh.

"The Skullborne Ravager? Sounds intimidating. What's its rank?"

<Count level. Much like the queen, indicating immense strength. However, do remember that rank alone does not determine the total combat prowess. There are variations in power within each rank based on species and individual capabilities.>

Mikhailis felt his pulse quicken. A Count-ranked goblin chimera ant, born from his own former body? He couldn't decide if it was incredibly cool or incredibly weird—or maybe both.

"Wait, are you telling me all the others ascended too? The soldiers, the workers, even the fire scarabs?"

<Correct. Every member of the colony has ascended to [Count] rank. However, as I said, the strength they possess will vary depending on their species, traits, and previous capabilities. The workers, for instance, will not be as combat-oriented as the soldiers, even though they share the same rank.>

Mikhailis leaned back, running a hand through his hair, his lips curling into an incredulous grin.

"This is insane," he muttered, shaking his head.

I have an entire Count-ranked army now. This is beyond anything I could have imagined.

His eyes focused back on the feed, the Skullborne Ravager standing tall in the hatchery, its gaze steady, its aura radiating power. For a brief moment, Mikhailis felt something—a connection. It was like a thread between his mind and the creature. He furrowed his brow, focusing on the feeling, and to his surprise, he felt the Ravager respond.

"No way," he whispered, his voice filled with awe.

He concentrated, and the Skullborne Ravager moved, raising one of its arms, its gauntleted hand flexing. Mikhailis felt a chill run down his spine, a smile spreading across his face.

"I can control it... with my thoughts?"

<It would appear so,>

Rodion replied, his tone calm.

Mikhailis let out a low laugh, shaking his head in disbelief.

"This... is insane."