The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

<Do not fear, little one. You are safe here, with me.>

Mikhailis gulped, trying to keep his composure.

Gods... Please tell me whas happenin'...?

He felt so small and vulnerable, especially with the chimera ant queen watching over him like that. It was overwhelming, like being under a magnifying glass, scrutinized by a being far beyond his understanding. Suddenly, another chimera ant worker approached. It bowed its head low, and to his utter disbelief, the creature spoke.

<Your Majesty, it is time for your meal.>

"M-Mah meal?" Mikhailis's baby voice came out in high-pitched babbles, and he could barely believe what he was hearing. The worker ant turned around, scuttling away, and then returned with something that looked like a feast. Various types of meat, fruits, and even a few dishes that seemed oddly sophisticated for a colony of insects. Well, all of them are perfectly sliced into small size, though.

He was carefully lifted and placed on what looked like a throne made of polished wood and other forest materials. It wasn't grand, but for a makeshift throne built by ants, it was pretty impressive.

"Dis is... a frown?" He blinked, staring at the worker ants bustling around him, clearly waiting for him to eat. The intricacy of the throne, the care they had put into making it, left him speechless. It was like they truly believed he was royalty.

The food smelled delicious, and he couldn't deny his stomach's growling. His tiny hands reached out, grabbing at the odd meat porridge, and as soon as he took a bite, his eyes widened.

"Wooo... dis is actwally... weally good." He looked at the worker ant, who seemed to stand by, awaiting his response.

"Yous guys made dis?"

<We have prepared the best for our future king,> the worker ant said with something like pride.

Mikhailis blinked again. Future king? What was going on? He still wasn't sure, but the more he tried to piece things together, the more his brain seemed to hurt. So, instead, he did what came naturally to him—he decided to enjoy it.

"Awight, awight," he said, waving his tiny hand, feeling an odd sense of authority.

"Bwing me more of dis one! An' dat one too. Wet's see what else yous ants can do."

The worker ants scrambled into action, bringing more food, each dish somehow tastier than the last. Mikhailis started to grin. It wasn't every day that you were treated like royalty by giant ants, and though he was still utterly confused, he couldn't deny that this was a pretty sweet deal.

"An' you," Mikhailis pointed at one of the ants.

"get me somethin' to dwink. I can't have a feast widout a dwink, wight?"

The worker ant didn't respond verbally but immediately went off, returning with something resembling a goblet made from a hollowed-out fruit, filled with a sweet, tangy juice. He took a sip and nodded.

"Not bad, not bad. Yous guys sure know how to tweat your future king."

The queen watched from a distance, her antennae twitching as if amused. The other worker ants were tirelessly serving Mikhailis, bringing him food, adjusting his "throne," and even fanning him with large leaves.

Mikhailis leaned back, a satisfied grin on his face.

"Ah, now dis is da life. Who would've thought bein' a baby could be dis enjoyables?"

He looked around, noticing how all the ants seemed to treat him with utmost reverence. It was... weird. But at the same time, there was something oddly comforting about it. Maybe it was the food, or maybe it was the fact that he had been treated like a carefree prince, but for the moment, he let himself relax.

"Hey, you!" He pointed at another worker ant. "Yeah, yous wif da... uh, da big mandibles. Get ova here."

The worker ant approached, bowing its head.

"Wot exactwy is aw dis? Why you tweatin' me wike dis?"

If you don't understand, I'm currently asking this guy why are you all treating me like this like I'm a king.

<You are the heir, our future king. It is our duty to serve you,>

the worker ant said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Heir? Future king?" Mikhailis muttered, rubbing his tiny chin with his even tinier fingers.

"Weww, I guess dat makes sense... somehow." He shrugged.

"Awight, cawwy on den."

Time seemed to pass in a blur. The worker ants continued to serve him, and Mikhailis, tired of trying to make sense of everything, decided to embrace the absurdity. He gave out commands, asked for more food, and even had the worker ants bring him odd-looking trinkets that they had found in the forest.

"Dis is kinda fun," he mumbled to himself, reclining on his makeshift throne. The more he was treated like an ant king, the more he enjoyed it. It was almost like living in one of those anime he loved so much.

He even found himself pointing at random ants, giving them absurd commands just to see if they would follow.

"Yous dere! Bwing me da shiniest thing you can find! An' you, uh... bwing me a fevver! Da biggest one you can find!" The worker ants scurried off, and Mikhailis chuckled to himself.

"Man, dis is cwazy. I couwd get used to dis." He stretched his tiny arms, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over him. It was strange, but there was something about being treated like royalty—even by ants—that felt oddly fulfilling.

He had always fantasized about being in an isekai world from a manga he saw about reincarnating as a goblin or a slime or something, and now here he was, living that dream, even if it was incredibly weird as he became a baby in an ant colony.

The worker ants returned with his absurd requests. One brought a shiny pebble, another carried a massive feather that looked like it belonged to some oversized bird. Mikhailis clapped his hands, laughing.

"Excewwent! Yous guys awe weally on top of it. Keep up da good wowk!"

He leaned back again, sipping from his goblet.

"I gotta admit, yous ants weally know how to make a guy feel speciaw."

But then, as he was beginning to drift off, feeling the effects of all the food he had eaten, he noticed the queen approaching. Her presence was commanding, and all the worker ants immediately bowed low as she neared.

<You have done well, little one,>

the queen said, her voice gentle but filled with authority.

Mikhailis looked up at her, blinking slowly.

"Wes'...? But I was just gettin' used to dis whole royalty thing..."

<Your growth must be nurtured. Come, I will take you to the royal egg.>

Before he could protest, the worker ants gently lifted him from the throne, carrying him toward a large, shimmering egg that rested in the center of the chamber. It was different from the egg he had seen before—larger, more ornate, almost glowing with an inner light. The sight of it took his breath away.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, howd on," Mikhailis muttered, but his tiny voice was barely audible. He was placed inside the egg, and immediately, a sense of warmth enveloped him. It was like being swaddled in the softest blanket, the warmth seeping into his bones.

The shell closed around him, leaving a small opening through which he could see the queen gazing down at him.

<Do not fear, little one. This egg will nurture you, help you grow strong.>

Mikhailis could feel his eyelids growing heavy. The warmth of the egg was comforting, like being wrapped in the coziest blanket. He yawned, his tiny body giving in to the exhaustion. It was as if the egg itself was lulling him to sleep, cradling him in a gentle embrace.

"Yeah, yeah... whateva yous say," he mumbled, his voice barely a whisper.

"Just... don' wet anythin' weiwd happen, awright?"

He heard the queen's gentle laughter, almost like a lullaby.

<Rest now, my child. Your destined role awaits you.>

Mikhailis's eyes fluttered shut, and he felt himself sinking into the warmth. There were whispers, soft and soothing, but he couldn't make out the words. It was like they were calling to him, telling him something important, but his mind was too tired to understand.

As he drifted off to sleep, the last thing he remembered was the sensation of warmth, safety, and the strange sense that he truly belonged here. Then, everything faded into darkness.

___

Mikhailis woke with a start, his eyes snapping open as he took in his surroundings. He was no longer in the egg, no longer surrounded by the chimera ants. Instead, he was back in his bed—his actual bed at the castle.

The sudden shift left him disoriented, his mind still trying to piece everything together. He glanced to his side and immediately froze. On either side of him, curled up against him, were Serelith and Lira, both sound asleep, their bare beautiful tanned skin pressed against his.

"W-What the...?" he muttered under his breath. He tried to move, but both women were clinging to him, their soft breaths tickling his skin.

He looked down at his palm, and his eyes widened. There, on his skin, was a mark—a tattoo of sorts. It was intricate, almost like a crest, and it shimmered faintly with a golden hue. It was more elaborate than before, more... regal.

"This... this wasn't here before," he whispered, his voice barely audible. He clenched his hand, trying to hide the mark from view. Whatever it was, it was clearly connected to the chimera ants, and he wasn't sure how Serelith or Lira would react if they saw it.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. His mind was a jumble of confusion. Had it all been a dream? It felt too real to be just a dream—the warmth of the egg, the taste of the food, the queen's voice. He could still feel it all, like a memory that refused to fade.

Mikhailis glanced at Serelith, her face relaxed in sleep, her silver hair spread out across the pillow. Then he turned to Lira, her lips slightly parted, her expression peaceful. He let out a long sigh, his mind still reeling from everything that had happened.

"This... this is..." he muttered, his voice trailing off as he tried to make sense of it all. Was he really destined for something more? And what did that even mean?

He closed his eyes, his mind still spinning. One thing was for sure—whatever was happening, it was far from over. And as much as he wanted to deny it, a part of him couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement.

Maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something bigger than he could have ever imagined.

"I don't really sure if I should be excited or not with this..."