The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

"Rodion," Mikhailis called out with a voice he make sure won't wake Lira up.

<Yes, Mikhailis>

Mikhailis smiled as he settled back into his pillows.

"You know, I have a fun little experiment in mind. Let's try something with the Skullborne Ravager." He adjusted the glasses and let out a low chuckle.

"The old body swap trick—think it'll work?"

<Transference should work, given Hypnoveil's abilities. You are welcome to proceed>

"Alright, let's give it a shot," Mikhailis said, taking a deep breath. Read the latest on empire

He activated the talisman linked to Hypnoveil, and he felt a sudden shift. The world around him seemed to spin, and for a moment he felt weightless. When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in his bed—he was in the Skullborne Ravager's body, standing deep inside the chimera ant nest.

He flexed his new arms—they were stronger, more agile. Everything about this form felt more refined than the goblin champion body he had possessed before. He felt the dense muscles shifting, the slight exoskeleton on his skin providing a unique sense of resilience.

This feels amazing… better than that goblin body, he thought, marveling at the strength he felt coursing through his limbs.

He concentrated, and suddenly, he was back in his real body, lying on his bed. The room spun briefly as his senses adjusted, and he blinked a few times to regain his bearings.

"No kidding," Mikhailis said with a grin.

"This Ravager body feels way better than the goblin champion. It's like upgrading from an old console to a next-gen system."

<Your analogy is noted. Physiologically, the new body has increased muscle mass, reinforced skeletal structure, and heightened sensory acuity>

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the analysis," Mikhailis retorted, then turned his gaze to Lira, who was still asleep.

She's going to be so confused if she wakes up and I'm not here, he thought, gently patting her head before focusing his thoughts back on the Skullborne Ravager.

With a rush of energy, he transferred his consciousness again.

In the chimera ant nest, the Skullborne Ravager stirred, and Mikhailis flexed his limbs, getting used to the body once more. The nest was dark, illuminated by faint glowing moss along the walls. He moved cautiously, his massive frame weaving between tunnels.

"Alright, let's head out." Mikhailis spoke to himself, the deep guttural voice of the Ravager reverberating off the tunnel walls.

He began crawling his way through the tight tunnel leading to the nest's exit. The Ravager body was large, and Mikhailis could feel the strain of squeezing through the narrow paths.

"Man, this is gonna be tough—" he started to say, when suddenly his entire body seemed to shimmer, and with a quiet poof, the hulking Ravager form shifted into a smaller, greenish chimera ant.

Mikhailis blinked in surprise.

Well, that's new.

He looked down at himself, inspecting the new form. It was sleek, compact, and the exoskeleton still retained some of the Ravager's unique texture. It seemed like a perfect disguise—one that would allow him to navigate the tunnels easily.

"Alright then," he said, his voice now replaced with the faint clicking of mandibles.

"I guess we're going out incognito. But it's going to be tiring so I'm back,"

With a mental command, he returned to his body. Rodion's voice chimed in, explaining the ease of the process.

<The reason this consciousness transfer is so seamless, Mikhailis, is because this is not a hypnotized specimen. The Skullborne Ravager is directly connected to both the Chimera Ant Queen and Hypnoveil.>

"I see..."

With this, he felt that he quite mastered the new Hypnoveil talisman ability.

"Okay," Mikhailis uttered as he saw throught he feeds, the great perk is that he don't need to immedaitely command it, but he could, through his mental connection, command the Skullborne Ravager to move and act.

But it is not like he didn't have a soul or mind, his eyes contain a soul, but it is very loyal to Mikhailis's orders.

<You seem unusually excited, Mikhailis>

"Of course, Rodion. This is gonna be fun! I think I'll set up a nest there at the northern province. The goblin fortress might be a bit risky since it's well-known now, but maybe we can… remodel it?"

<Remodel it, you say>

Mikhailis could sense the faint amusement in Rodion's response.

"Yeah, bury it underground. Use some workers to create a roof of soil, and we'll have a hidden base underneath," Mikhailis suggested, feeling a spark of excitement.

"A proper goblin nest for the Ravager and its… future goblin underlings, maybe."

<Your ambition is commendable, though there will be challenges in creating an underground nest in such a structure. However, with sufficient worker ants, it is certainly feasible>

Mikhailis grinned. He could picture it clearly—a hidden fortress beneath the ground, his own network of goblins working alongside the chimera ants. It was a ridiculous idea, but he couldn't help himself.

"Alright, let's do it. And hey, this Ravager, it's got some personality, doesn't it? I can feel it's got a mind of its own."

<That is correct. It appears to possess its own intelligence, likely a gift from the Chimera Ant Queen. Perhaps she felt some responsibility for your previous… discomfort as a goblin. The Ravager is likely her attempt to ensure your future endeavors are more comfortable and efficient>

Mikhailis smiled at that, a warmth spreading through his chest.

"The Queen, huh? I didn't think she'd be so thoughtful. Alright then, let's put this new body to good use."

The Ravager, now in its compact ant form, moved through the tunnel that led northward. Mikhailis watched through his glasses as the feeds projected the surroundings, the steady pace of the chimera ant as it traversed the rugged terrain.

"Rodion, I've got another idea. How about we test out that new necromancy ability of the Queen?"

<It's an interesting proposition. Experimentation is the key to understanding. Let us proceed>

Mikhailis watched with bated breath as the chimera ants approached the Chimera Ant Queen. A worker ant dragged a direwolf's corpse towards her, the lifeless body slumping at the base of her large throne-like structure. The Queen lowered her head, her mandibles clicking, her antennae brushing over the corpse.

Her mandibles started to glow, a dark purplish-black aura swirling around them—a sinister, ethereal energy. The aura moved like a fog, covering the direwolf's body, and Mikhailis felt his heart pound in his chest.

Come on… you can do it, he thought, watching intently.

The aura enveloped the direwolf completely, and for a moment, there was a flicker of movement. The corpse twitched, its legs shifting—but then it fell still again. The aura dissipated, leaving behind a lifeless body.

The Queen tried again, her mandibles glowing once more, the aura swirling around the corpse. This time, the body twitched more violently, almost as if it was trying to rise—but then it fell still again.

Mikhailis clenched his fists, his eyes glued to the feed. Come on, just a bit more.

<Attempt two: partial success. Signs of reanimation detected, though incomplete>

The Queen's mandibles glowed for the third time, the dark energy swirling thicker than before, covering the corpse in a shroud of necromantic energy. There was a long, tense silence—and then, the body of the direwolf jerked upright, its eyes glowing faintly with the same dark energy. It stood on shaky legs, its head tilting unnaturally as it looked around, devoid of any emotion.

Mikhailis felt his breath hitch in his throat.

"She did it," he whispered, his voice filled with awe.

<Success. The Chimera Ant Queen has successfully animated the direwolf into an undead creature. This is… another breakthrough>

Mikhailis watched as the newly resurrected direwolf stood before the Queen, awaiting her command. Its movements were jerky, its eyes lifeless, but it was standing—it was alive, in a manner of speaking. He let out a laugh, shaking his head.

"This… this is incredible," he muttered.

"We've got our own necromancer now, Rodion."

<Indeed. Though the process remains imperfect, further experimentation may yield more refined results>

Mikhailis nodded, his mind racing with possibilities. He could picture it—an army of chimera ants, alongside undead creatures, all under his command. It was insane, impossible—and yet, here it was, happening before his eyes.

"Alright, Rodion. Keep monitoring the Queen's progress with the necromancy. I've got a feeling we're just scratching the surface of what she's capable of."

<Affirmative. Further tests will be conducted to assess the potential for widespread necromancy>

Mikhailis leaned back in his bed, letting out a sigh. He closed his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips.

This is just the beginning. An undead army, a hidden nest, and a new goblin outpost… everything is falling into place.

He opened his eyes, looking over at Lira, still asleep beside him. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, his smile softening.

"And all this, while I get to lie here and relax," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Life is pretty good, isn't it?"

Rodion's voice echoed in his ears, filled with its usual dry tone.

<Assuming your plans do not lead to catastrophic failure, then yes, life is… 'pretty good'>

Mikhailis chuckled, shaking his head.

"Always the optimist, aren't you, Rodion?"

<It is my role to provide a realistic assessment. If optimism is required, perhaps you should turn elsewhere>

Mikhailis let out a laugh, settling deeper into his bed, his eyes closing. He could still feel the connection with the Skullborne Ravager, moving through the northern province, the winds of a new beginning brushing against the green shell of its disguise.

The future was uncertain, and the challenges were far from over—but for now, Mikhailis felt like everything was moving in the right direction. And that was enough.

"Keep me posted, Rodion. I'll need all the information we can get for what's coming next."

<Understood, Mikhailis. I will continue monitoring all relevant developments. Rest well>

And with that, Mikhailis let himself drift off, the smile still playing on his lips, his dreams filled with the visions of what lay ahead—of chimera ants, goblin nests, and undead creatures, all under his command.

Until finally, the person beside him wakes up.