The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Mikhailis paused, a grin spreading across his face as his eyes picked up subtle movements in the corners of the room. Tiny, diligent ants—worker ants from his chimera ant colony—scuttled around quietly, almost invisible if you weren\'t looking for them. He could sense them because of the bond he shared with the queen ant, but they were otherwise practically undetectable.

It seemed the queen ant had assigned some workers to tend to his room. Mikhailis marveled at their efficiency. The ants were cleaning up dirt and dust, but they were doing it in a way that ensured they remained hidden from even the sharpest of senses.

He chuckled and turned to Rodion, his AI companion. Rodion\'s voice echoed in his ear.

<The worker ants have undergone significant development. Their current intelligence allows them to optimize camouflage timing, enhancing their natural stealth abilities. The latest batch even has bioluminescent camouflage derived from the Glimmer Beetle\'s DNA.>

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow.

"Bioluminescent camouflage? Now, that\'s cool."

<Indeed, their abilities have been improved since the Glimmer Beetle was assimilated. There are five soldier ants in the room assigned for your protection. They have positioned themselves within the holes and corners to guard against potential threats, such as other insects or... unwanted visitors.>

Mikhailis let out a low whistle, impressed.

"You mean I\'m being guarded by tiny, sneaky bodyguards all the time now? I kind of like that. Good thing I didn\'t ask for a more visible guard."

<Additionally, five worker ants are stationed in the private royal garden. They have been tasked with gathering organic material such as leaves or soil. The queen\'s command also includes maintaining the cleanliness of the garden. They bring the gathered resources to the nest while keeping the area spotless. It seems to be effective enough to make Lira suspicious of your sudden gardening habits.>

Mikhailis snickered, picturing Lira\'s puzzled expression.

"Yeah, she\'s been asking if I\'ve been secretly cleaning up. I guess it\'s thanks to these diligent workers. That\'s kind of amazing, really."

<Moreover, there is a development of note. The queen has established a new chamber in the nest. It is recommended that you take a look at the detailed feed on your computer.>

Mikhailis perked up at that. He moved over to his computer and tapped on the display. The screen lit up, showing the intricate layout of the chimera ant colony. He saw it right away—a larger chamber that hadn\'t been there before. The worker ants were bustling inside, and his eyes widened in fascination.

"Rodion, what\'s this new addition?"

<The new chamber appears to be an experimental agricultural area. The worker ants have taken to farming. It seems that they understand the importance of establishing a sustainable food source. Several species of underground plants are being cultivated, including Nightshade Mushrooms, Glowcap Fungus, and Ironvine Root.

These plants are suitable for low-light conditions and provide high nutritional value.>

Mikhailis watched the screen, a grin stretching across his face.

The ants were farming.

Farming!

This level of intelligence was something he hadn\'t anticipated. It wasn\'t just about brute strength or expansion anymore—his ants were evolving in ways that were more akin to building a society.

"Wow, they really are learning fast. Farming, huh?" He shook his head in disbelief.

"The queen\'s pretty sharp, isn\'t she? Figuring out that more mouths to feed means more food production is needed. But this... farming mushrooms and roots underground... that\'s pretty impressive."

<Indeed. The farming initiative indicates a leap in self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on scavenged food. It appears to be an experimental phase, but the ants are learning through trial and error. This development further emphasizes the increasing complexity of their behaviors.>

Mikhailis nodded, his eyes glued to the screen. He could see rows of mushrooms being tended to, the worker ants delicately maneuvering around the young sprouts, ensuring they had the right amount of moisture and space. There were tiny irrigation lines made of carved channels, guiding water droplets to where they were needed.

It was intricate, almost delicate work—more like something you\'d see in an art exhibit than an ant colony.

It made him think of how far they had come since the beginning. The queen had eaten a few magic insects and gained abilities that were more magical and adaptive. Now, they weren\'t just surviving—they were strategizing, planning, building. It was an ecosystem of its own, something out of his dreams.

Mikhailis leaned back in his chair, smiling to himself. His little ant empire was growing, and who knew what kind of potential it had? The possibilities were endless.

"Rodion, get me a cold drink," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And, make the air conditioner a bit cooler. It\'s a little hot today."

<Understood.>

Rodion\'s robotic arm of the monkey robot whirred as it fetched a chilled beverage from the mini-fridge and handed it to Mikhailis. The AC clicked softly as it adjusted.

Mikhailis took a sip of the cold drink, sighing in relief. Just as he began to relax, he noticed Lira at the other end of the room, organizing some things. She paused, shivering slightly as the cooler air hit her. Mikhailis frowned, his eyes catching her discomfort.

"Wait, Rodion, forget it. Don\'t make it any cooler." He sighed.

"Can\'t help it; people here are used to a warmer climate."

The AC clicked off again, and Lira glanced over, giving Mikhailis a confused look. He waved it off, shaking his head with a smile.

"Never mind, Lira."

Lira returned to her work with an obvious lips movement saying "I\'m sure I heard something strange just now, though?", but Mikhailis\' thoughts drifted. Rodion\'s voice spoke in his ear again.

<The frog variant chimera ant is nearing its readiness for deployment. Growth indicators suggest significant improvement in agility and adaptability. It will be ready for its first mission within a day.>

Mikhailis perked up, excitement bubbling inside him.

"Really? That\'s sooner than I expected. Finally, I can see what that little guy can do."

He took another sip of his drink, a grin spreading across his face.

"It\'s almost time to try hunting a magic beast, huh?"

He leaned back, thinking about it for a moment before muttering to himself.

"I wonder how strong that girl Cerys really is… She\'s got that aura, that stance… She\'s gotta be something else."

His musings didn\'t go unnoticed, as Lira turned her head and chimed in.

"Of course, Lady Cerys is strong, Your Highness. She\'s one of the strongest knights in the kingdom."

Mikhailis turned to her, curiosity piqued.

"Really? But she\'s kind of... lone-wolf-ish. Doesn\'t seem like someone who plays well with others."

Lira smiled, nodding.

"You\'re right. Lady Cerys isn\'t the best at working with others. But her strength is at the [Earl] level, just below [Duke]."

Mikhailis blinked, tilting his head.

"Earl level? Duke level? What do those mean?"

Lira sighed, shaking her head.

"I suppose the queen hasn\'t had the time to explain that to you yet. In this world, strength is categorized based on noble titles—Baron, Viscount, Count, Earl, Duke, King, and Emperor. Emperor level is almost impossible; no one has reached it in living memory." Read new chapters at empire

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"And what about Elowen?"

Lira straightened, her expression turning a bit more proud.

"Her Majesty is at the King rank. The same as Lady Vyrelda and Earl Vaelis."

Mikhailis let out a low whistle.

"That damn handsome Earl is at King rank? Impressive."

Lira nodded, her face serious.

"Of course, Your Highness. With a flick of their finger, they could send you flying if they wanted."

Mikhailis let out a wry chuckle.

"Thanks for the elaboration, Lira. Really comforting stuff."

He muttered under his breath, barely audible.

"No wonder Elowen\'s unbeatable in bed… though I did manage to \'defeat\' her and still in a winning streak, though, so I guess unbeatable is not really the perfect word?"

Rodion\'s voice chimed in, tinged with amusement.

<I have logged this conversation for future reference.>

Mikhailis grimaced.

"Oh, shut up, Rodion," he said, shaking his head. Then he turned back to Lira.

"Lira, I\'ve got another question. Is there a similar ranking system for monsters and magic beasts?"

Lira nodded.

"Yes, there is. It\'s the similar one with the strength classification we use. One moment." She walked over to the bookshelf, reaching up to grab a thick tome from the very top of the bookshelf. The book was titled-

"Encyclopedia of Monsters and Magic Beasts."

She handed it to Mikhailis, but before he could take it, Rodion\'s monkey robot zipped forward and snatched the book, startling Lira.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, taking a step back, her eyes wide.

The monkey robot promptly opened the book, flipping through its pages as Rodion began scanning the contents.

<Processing… Scanning complete. Classifying chimera ant nest based on available data. Current assessment places the chimera queen ant at barely Baron rank. Other ants fall below this classification. Their collective threat level remains low but is rising with each evolutionary stage.>

Mikhailis frowned.

"Baron rank, huh? I guess that means we\'ve still got a long way to go." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"It\'s okay, though. We\'re just getting started," he muttered, watching the robot return the book to its place.

He turned to Lira, giving her a grin.

"Thanks, Lira. I guess that means my ants still got some work to do before it can take on the big guys."

Lira smiled, even though she has no idea what he meant, and what use those bugs, those ants that he loves to monitor really worth for.

"I\'m sure it\'ll catch up quickly, Your Highness."

Mikhailis leaned back in his chair, looking around the room, the ants moving quietly, Rodion\'s mechanical arm retracting, and Lira finishing her cleaning.

He felt that familiar thrill of excitement bubbling up. Things were changing, evolving. His chimera ant colony was growing, the kingdom was moving, and Elowen\'s challenges were becoming their challenges. It was like being in the middle of a story—full of magic, intrigue, and all the unpredictable elements that made life exciting.