The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Mikhailis blinked his eyes open, the first rays of the morning sunlight filtering into his bedroom. As he adjusted to the light, he realized that he was being held tightly from both sides, soft bodies pressed against him. He turned his head slightly to the right, and there was Lira, her usually neat and elegant black hair now tousled and disheveled, spilling out of the ponytail she always wore.

Her lips were slightly parted, and her expression was calm, serene, just like she always was when awake. Even in sleep, she maintained that composed beauty that defined her—a perfect image of elegance and grace, her skin glowing in the morning light.

His gaze shifted to the left, and there lay Serelith. Her long, purple hair was a tangled mess, some strands even having slipped into her slightly parted mouth. The mischievous and enigmatic aura she usually carried had completely vanished, leaving her looking innocent and vulnerable.

In contrast to her awake self, who loved teasing him with her playful and perverted nature, Serelith now looked like a completely different person—almost like a young girl free from all the layers of intrigue and mystery she always wrapped herself in.

Seeing a strand of her purple hair stuck in her mouth, Mikhailis gently reached out and pulled it away. For a moment, Serelith's eyes fluttered, and she shifted slightly as if about to wake up. Instead, she made a small sound, almost like a sigh, and snuggled even closer to him, nuzzling her face against his arm and hugging him even tighter.

He couldn't help but chuckle at that, trying not to wake her. It was such a rare sight—the formidable court magician acting like this. He watched her for a moment, and then suddenly felt a pull on his left arm.

He turned his head back to see Lira, who seemed to be pouting slightly, her lips pressed together as if she was displeased. It was adorable, and for a moment he wondered if she was somehow aware of him giving attention to Serelith. Was this some kind of sixth sense that women had? He couldn't help but smile at her cute expression, even as she remained asleep.

Slowly, he leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, careful not to wake her. She let out a small sigh and relaxed, her grip on his arm softening.

Mikhailis let out a soft breath, looking at the two women. Lira, with her calm and elegant demeanor, even now looked like an image of serene beauty—a goddess resting without a care in the world. Her long, dark hair spilled over the pillow, the loose strands framing her face like a delicate painting. Her sharp, confident features were softened in her sleep, giving her an almost ethereal beauty.

In contrast, Serelith looked almost comical, her face half-buried in his arm, her hair an absolute mess. The usual wicked gleam in her eyes and the playful smile that almost always adorned her lips were nowhere to be found. Instead, she looked innocent, almost pure—like a child who had finally been allowed to rest after a long day.

The difference between her usual self and the sleeping version of her was almost startling, and Mikhailis found himself staring at her longer than he'd intended, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

The warmth of their bodies against his, the steady rise and fall of their breathing, the feeling of being surrounded by such beautiful women—it made everything else fade away. For a moment, he completely forgot about what had happened earlier, about the strange dream—or whatever it was—where he'd found himself as a baby in the chimera ant nest.

Right now, all that mattered was this peaceful moment, lying in bed with the two women who meant so much to him.

Serelith shifted again, her lips parting slightly as she made a soft noise, and Mikhailis chuckled quietly. She looked nothing like the seductress she was when awake. He could still remember the wicked grin she often wore, the way her eyes would glint whenever she was teasing him or trying to provoke a reaction. Now, she just looked... soft. It was endearing in a way he couldn't quite describe.

He felt another gentle tug from his left and looked back at Lira. She was still pouting, her brow furrowed ever so slightly, as if even in her sleep she could sense him giving Serelith too much attention. Mikhailis smiled, his heart warming at the sight. Lira, ever the composed and elegant one, now looked almost childish in her jealousy.

It was adorable, and he couldn't help but lean over once more, pressing another soft kiss to her forehead.

Lira let out a small sigh, her lips twitching slightly, and she seemed to relax, her grip on his arm loosening just a little. Mikhailis watched her for a moment, his heart swelling with affection. He loved these moments—the rare, quiet times when he could see them without all the masks they wore during the day. Lira, always so proper and graceful, now looked almost vulnerable.

And Serelith, who thrived on mischief and chaos, now looked like nothing more than an innocent girl.

Mikhailis let out a content sigh, closing his eyes for a moment as he savored the warmth of their bodies against his. He could stay like this forever, just lying here with them, without a care in the world. But, of course, reality was never that simple. He still had so many questions, so many things he needed to figure out—especially about what had happened earlier.

Slowly, he opened his eyes again and whispered into the air.

"Rodion. Are you there?"

<At your service, Mikhailis. Is there anything you require?>

Mikhailis glanced at the glasses resting on the nightstand beside him. Rodion's voice came through clearly, the AI always ready to assist him. "Yeah, I just... I need you to check something for me," he murmured, careful not to wake the two women beside him.

<What is it?>

Mikhailis hesitated for a moment, then let out a soft breath.

"I think I just became a child in the chimera ant colony," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

<Do not be foolish, Mikhailis.>

Well, it's not unexpected for this guy to not believe me.

But damn, Rodion this is serious.

Mikhailis could still feel the faint sensation of him being a baby, it's somehow surreal but at the same time it's kind of comfortable, especially ordering around those ants, he surely feel like he has became the king of the ants. And these ants are the chimera ants.

How great is that?

There was a hint of exasperation in Rodion's voice, as if he was dealing with a particularly troublesome child.

"No, seriously," Mikhailis insisted.

"Just scan the colony for me. Check if there's anything unusual."

With Rodion's connection with the chimera ant queen, he could also use the connection between the queen and the other ants to see the whole nest, so he should be able to see the place of the royal egg where I was sleeping before, right?

There was a brief pause, then Rodion responded.

<Scanning... Stand by.>

See! Ah. Not yet.

Mikhailis waited, his heart pounding slightly. He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but he needed to know. He needed to be sure that what had happened wasn't just some weird dream.

<Scan complete. There is, in fact, an anomaly.>Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Rodion's voice held a note of surprise.

<There is a baby currently residing in a one-meter-tall egg, which appears to be a "royal egg." The structure and features of this child... match yours, Mikhailis.>

Mikhailis's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat.

Matching mine...

So it was real...

I was half-expecting that it was just a dream, though...

"Wait... Are you saying that—"

<The child appears to be a clone of you,>

Rodion confirmed.

A clone...

It's an unexpected word but the potential coming from that word alone made in that split seconds for Mikhailis to have his mind wandering all over the place.

<Its facial structure, bone density, and even genetic markers are almost identical.>

Mikhailis swallowed hard, his mind racing. How could that even be possible? He was here, in his own body, yet there was a clone of him—a baby—in the chimera ant colony?

<However,>

Rodion continued,

<there are no signs of consciousness. The child is breathing, but it appears to be in a comatose state. The royal egg seems to be sustaining it, keeping it alive.>

Mikhailis frowned, confusion clouding his thoughts.

"But how could I have been... born there?"

<Perhaps you had an... intimate encounter with the queen without realizing it?>

Rodion suggested, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Mikhailis scowled.

"Cut it out with the bad jokes, Rodion. I'm serious."

<Very well,>

Rodion replied, sounding almost amused.

<A more likely explanation is that the queen somehow used genetic material from the technomancer captives. But rather than creating a soldier, it seems this child has been designated as the "crown prince"—the future king, the queen's offspring. At the same time, your bond with the chimera ant queen has made you the future king in a more symbolic sense.>

Mikhailis let out a long breath, his mind struggling to process everything. It was too much, too strange.

"So what you're saying is... I have a clone now?"

<It seems that way,>

Rodion replied.

<You have a clone that you could utilize as the king of the chimera ants, Mikhailis.>

There was a pause, then Rodion added.

<This may be an opportunity—if you play your cards right.>