The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

"Mikhailis, about Lira and Serelith." Her voice cut through the quiet of the cave, leaving Mikhailis jolted.

He turned his head slightly, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Y-Yes?" he stammered, feeling the heat rush up to his cheeks. Elowen, sitting with her back resting on his, chuckled at his reaction.

"You don't need to be so afraid," she teased.

"I'm the one who set it up like that." Mikhailis blinked, still trying to process what she had just said.

"Eh?" he muttered, a confused look crossing his face.

Elowen laughed, her voice ringing softly in the dark.

"You know, I'm childhood friends with both of them—Lira and Serelith—and Vyrelda, of course." Her gaze drifted up, as if recalling old memories.

"We're so close... and I know them well. Lira is the type who silently bears her duties, guilt, and everything else on her shoulders without ever letting it out. Serelith, on the other hand, is a bit... depressive and easy to read."

Mikhailis nodded slowly, beginning to catch up. Elowen sighed, her smile growing softer.

"With us so close to each other, do you think the two of them wouldn't feel any guilt about getting close to you?"

There was a moment of silence, then Mikhailis finally uttered, "...I guess?"

"I told Lira to sleep with you," Elowen continued, her voice casual but firm.

"Huh? Why?" Mikhailis asked, incredulity evident in his voice.

Elowen chuckled again, her laughter containing a hint of mischief.

"To be honest, I knew I'd be busy, and I wouldn't be able to fulfill my role as your wife properly... and I needed someone who could help me with that." She looked down at her fingers, twirling a lock of her silver hair absently.

"And Lira, as my personal maid—now your personal maid—it's also her duty in this world to take care of her master's needs, and her master's pent up desires."

She paused, her tone becoming more serious.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Perhaps it was because... I was jealous. I guess even I am prone to this kind of emotions," She turned her head slightly to look at him, her eyes reflecting the light of the fire.

"Elowen..." Mikhailis murmured.

Elowen sighed, giving him a small, sad smile.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"But then again," she continued, her lips pouting as she lightly pinched his hand, "I never thought you'd make Lira fall for you that easily." She huffed playfully, but her eyes held a mix of emotions.

"Back when we were on our way to meet Saintess Elvira and you got abducted, Lira fell for you because you saved her. It's really conflicting, you know, to have your childhood friend fall in love with your husband, even if I did tell her to... fulfill your desires."

Mikhailis let out a wry laugh, shaking his head.

"Life sure knows how to get complicated, doesn't it?"

Elowen smirked. Discover hidden content at empire

"And that's one of the reasons why I was so mad with the Saintess," she added, her tone almost conspiratorial.

Mikhailis laughed softly.

"Guess it's my fault for being irresistible, huh?"

Elowen rolled her eyes, the tension between them easing slightly.

She continued, "And as for Serelith... well, you know how she is." She gave him a knowing smile.

The image of Serelith—relieving herself while whispering Elowen's name—flashed through Mikhailis's mind, and he coughed awkwardly.

"Indeed," he said, his voice tight.

Elowen's gaze softened.

"I saved her. Once, you know," she said.

"Serelith's father was an abusive father. He was once the Royal Magician here. It could be said that I'm the one who found her and played with her, saving her from the darkness she lived in. It's probably why she became so... obsessed with me."

Mikhailis chuckled.

"That's an understatement."

He meant the term 'Obsession' of Serelith to her.

Elowen sighed.

"I've thought of making her your concubine as well—to keep things simple. To silence any rumors about me keeping and confining the Prince Consort, and to help Serelith let go of her unhealthy fixation on me. But," she added, pinching his hand again.

"I never thought you'd actually flirt with her and make her fall for you. Did you think I wouldn't notice?!" she fumed.

Mikhailis scratched his head, feeling the sting of her words.

"Sorry..."

She let out a sigh and rested her head against his back.

"I guess the way you lie is kind, Mikhailis," she said softly. Mikhailis stayed silent, feeling the weight of her words settle on his shoulders.

"I'm the type of person who takes all the responsibility on myself, trying not to be a burden to others," Elowen said, her voice calm.

"But you—your eyes look and obsereve everything around you, then you find the best path, and make sure no one gets hurt. That's... very kind of you."

"Kind... Huh..." Mikhailis uttered.

Mikhailis looked up at the sky, and for a fleeting moment, the image of his parents and Dimitri flashed before his eyes.

He chuckled, but his eyes remained distant.

"I'm not kind at all," he replied, his voice low.

"I want things to go my way, and I'll do whatever I can to make that happen. That's why I need to keep myself in check—to make sure I don't cross lines I can't come back from. I've already lost too much." He let out a deep breath, his words trailing off into the stillness of the night.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in the warmth of the firelight.

Elowen broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You know, Mikhailis, there's a reason I've been avoiding you lately." Her voice wavered, and she took a deep breath before continuing.

"I heard a prophecy... from Saintess Elvira." She paused, her face contorting as if she was struggling with the weight of her words.

Mikhailis turned slightly, his heart skipping a beat.

"A prophecy?"

Elowen nodded.

"Saintess Elvira might be manipulative, but her prophecies have never been wrong," she said, her voice strained. She took another shaky breath.

"The prophecy said... 'The prince consort will die if he stays too close to the Queen.'"

Mikhailis's heart sank as he heard her painful whisper, and he could feel her trembling.

The Prince Consort... Will die, huh...

"Your life... Might be in danger because I brought you here... Because I brought tyou to this world... because you're close with me..." she continued, her voice cracking.

"I took you from your world, and now I'm putting you at risk. It's unfair to you, Mikhailis. I've already stolen so much from you, and now I'm endangering your life..."

The words tumbled from her lips, her fears spilling out all at once. Mikhailis turned to look at her, seeing the tears welling in her eyes, her body trembling with the weight of her emotions.

"Elowen..." he whispered.

This wasn't the regal Queen of Silvarion speaking.

This was Elowen Nyphara—a girl who carried the burdens of a ruler but yearned for love and reassurance.

The same stranger inside a castle, just like him.

Mikhailis moved before he even thought about it, wrapping his arms around her from behind, pulling her close.

She let out a soft gasp, her eyes widening as she felt his warmth. His voice was gentle as he spoke, his words brushing against her ear.

"I'm just a joker—a fool who got lucky," he said, his voice filled with warmth.

"If I'm meant to die next to a Queen I love, why should I run away? I've never believed in prophecies, anyway." He held her tighter, his cheek resting against hers.

"I'm your joker, my queen. I'm here to make you laugh, not to make you cry. You brought me from a world of black and white to one filled with color. My life is yours,"

"Sorry for making you sad—it's all my fault."

'It's all my fault'.

It was such a simple words.

But those line is enough to fill Elowen with warmth.

The fact that he, as he always, read what she need to hear the most.

The fact that she's not wrong, that it's not just her imagination that he was happy getting brought to this world.

The fact that it's not just her hallucination of him being happy standing beside her.

And that it's not her fault.

I guess I'm quite selfish myself, Elowen thought to herself.

Elowen let out a shaky breath, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Yes," she whispered, her voice trembling.

"It's all your fault, you know?"

"I only intended to keep you at arm's length, to fulfill my duties as your wife without getting too close,"

"But you saw through my bluff from the beginning... and not only that, you went all in, showing me everything and giving me everything with that strange attitude of yours." She hiccupped, a mix of laughter and tears.

"How could I not fall for you because of it? And then, you dare to flirt and sleep with Lira and Serelith—do you think I wouldn't notice how their faces glowed ebcause of your passionate sessions with them?"

Mikhailis chuckled softly, wiping away her tears with his thumb.

"Sorry for that, my queen," he said, his voice gentle. He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

Elowen pouted, her brows furrowed as she looked up at him.

"Mikhailis..."

"Yes?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

She didn't say anything—instead, she took hold of his collar, pulling him towards her, her lips meeting his in a heated kiss.

The first touch filled with passion and longing for each other. Mikhailis could feel the warmth of her lips, the way she moved against him, her fingers tangled in his hair. He responded eagerly, his hands sliding down to her waist, pulling her closer. Their tongues met, each movement deliberate and filled with a need that had been building for too long.

Elowen shifted, her body moving until she was sitting on his lap, her legs straddling him. They continued to kiss, the heat between them intensifying. Mikhailis's heart pounded in his chest, his hands gripping her hips, holding her as close as possible. He could feel her warmth, her breath mingling with his, the soft sounds escaping her lips sending shivers down his spine.

After a kiss that went for about five minutes.

Finally, they pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other's, both of them breathing heavily. They stared at each other, their eyes filled with an intoxicated longing.

"Are you sure it's fine for you to stay close to me, even if the prophecy might mean your death?" Elowen whispered, her voice trembling.

Mikhailis looked at her, his expression serious, a rare intensity in his stormy gray eyes.

"The joker never dies, my queen," he said, his voice unwavering.

Elowen blushed deeply, her heart pounding at the sight of his bare, charismatic demeanor—the real Mikhailis without his usual carefree facade.

It's the face of the man that is hailed as the most suitable successor of Ruslania's throne.

"It's unfair that you pull such a serious face at times like this..." she mumbled, her blush deepening.

Mikhailis's eyes widened slightly at her reaction. He couldn't help but think how utterly adorable she looked in that moment.

He couldn't help but get aroused and want to-

<Sorry for intruding on you both, your majesties.>

Just as the atmosphere grew even more romantic, Rodion's voice suddenly interrupted them.

Mikhailis jolted, his face turning bright red.

"W-W-What is it, Rodion?! Can't you read the mood?!"

<Rather unfortunate timing, but I have an important update regarding the prophecy,>

Rodion said, the AI's voice devoid of emotion, though Mikhailis could almost swear he detected a hint of sarcasm.

<Regarding the prophecy about the prince consort dying due to his closeness to the queen, I believe the queen may have misunderstood its true meaning>

It took several seconds for Mikhailis and Elowen to process Rodion's words.

Then finally as they finally digested it.

""Eh?""

Mikhailis and Elowen both uttered at the same time, their eyes wide as they looked at each other.