The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Mikhailis nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly as he listened.

"Alright, so, magic energy that is... What about magic power? How does it work?"

<Magic power is a combination of your innate affinity and the ability to manipulate magical energy lying dormant within you. Affinity refers to one\'s natural talent or leaning toward a specific type of magic. For instance, those with a strong affinity for fire magic can more easily manipulate fire-based spells and has a magic power within them that suitable to wield fire.

However, this affinity does not mean exclusivity—most skilled magicians are able to manipulate multiple types of magic to varying degrees of effectiveness.>

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly.

"So it\'s all about affinity, then. Does that mean I have one? Am I gonna be a fire mage or something?"

Serelith stepped forward, her mischievous grin replaced with a more serious expression.

"That\'s why we\'re here, Your Highness. To figure out what magic resides within you." She extended her hand, her fingers brushing lightly against Mikhailis\'s chest, right over where his heart would be.

"We\'ll start with a basic affinity test."

Mikhailis eyed her warily.

"And how exactly does this test work?" he asked, his voice skeptical.

Serelith gave a small chuckle, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"It\'s simple, really. All you need to do is relax, and I\'ll do the rest." She closed her eyes, her expression softening as she focused her energy.

Mikhailis felt a warmth spread from her touch, like a gentle heat radiating from her fingertips. He took a deep breath, letting his eyes close as he tried to relax. It felt strange—like his chest was being warmed from the inside out. The warmth spread, flowing through his body, making his fingers tingle slightly.

He opened his eyes just a crack, glancing at Serelith. Her face was calm, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration. He could feel the energy swirling around them, a soft, gentle hum that filled the air.

After a few moments, Serelith\'s eyes opened, her hand pulling away from his chest. She looked at him, her expression unreadable.

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.

"Well? What\'s the verdict? Am I a fire mage, or what?"

Serelith smiled, a small, almost enigmatic smile.

"You have a unique affinity, Your Highness. But it\'s very similar to what I\'ve sensed before, so I\'m pretty sure what your affinity is," she paused, studying Mikhailis\'s face for a reaction. She leaned back a little, her eyes narrowing in interest.

"It\'s the same affinity as the queen. It\'s from the Arcane energy—linked to the Elder Tree."

Mikhailis blinked, confusion crossing his face before curiosity took over.

"The Elder Tree, huh? Wait, you mean the same Elder Tree that Elowen is always talking about? That Elder Tree is that huge tree that exist at the middle of the capital?"

Serelith nodded, her smile widening.

"Precisely. And the more I think about it, the more this seems to prove that you really do share some of the same heritage as the queen. There must be some dark elf lineage within you as well." She chuckled softly, her tone filled with amusement.

"I guess this is why the queen adores you so much. This truly feels like a work of fate, doesn\'t it?"

Lira, standing on the side of the room, was visibly excited by this revelation, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Mikhailis.

"Your Highness, this is amazing! You and Queen Elowen, both sharing the same magic. It\'s like you two are meant to be," she said, her voice brimming with admiration.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Mikhailis scratched his head, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips.

"Yeah, I guess it does sound kind of romantic when you put it that way." He gave a small laugh, his eyes glancing at Serelith.

"So, uh, what happens now? Do I get a special title or something for having this magic? \'Royal Elder Mage,\' maybe?"

Serelith rolled her eyes, but her smile didn\'t fade.

"Not quite, Your Highness. But it does mean you\'re about to take your first step into the world of magic. We\'re going to teach you how to control it."

Finally...

The first step to the realm of magic...

Mikhailis gave a small nod, his eyes suddenly a bit more serious. He looked down at his palm, the bond tattoo below the chimera ant queen\'s tattoo. The symbols were subtle, but the power behind them was something else entirely.

He whispered under his breath, his voice barely audible.

"Please help me smoothly with this, Rodion."

<Always, Mikhailis. Although I must say, your lack of magical experience is glaringly apparent and it\'s a normal thing. But no worries—I\'ll compensate.>

A small smile touched Mikhailis\'s lips.

"Thanks, Rodion," he muttered.

Serelith stepped closer, her expression softening. She extended her hand, palm up.

"Now, Your Highness, let\'s start by trying to feel the magic inside you. Close your eyes."

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow, glancing at her hand.

"Are you going to charge me for holding your hand?" he teased, before closing his eyes obediently.

Serelith ignored his remark, her tone turning gentle.

"Take a deep breath. Let your mind quiet. Feel the energy that flows within you. It\'s there, somewhere deep, just waiting to be discovered."

I guess it\'s time to be serious.

Mikhailis followed her instructions, taking a deep breath. He tried to relax, to let the noise of his own thoughts fade away. It wasn\'t easy—he was used to always being on the move, always thinking. But he tried, focusing on his breath, on the warmth of Serelith\'s hand guiding him.

<Focus, Mikhailis. Imagine your body as a vessel, filled with water. Your goal is to feel that water move—not with your muscles, but with your intent. The energy is similar to the chimera queen\'s bond, only it\'s internal. It\'s a life force rather than a command.>

Mikhailis furrowed his brow slightly, the image of water in a vessel forming in his mind. He imagined his body filled with something—an energy, a warmth, a power. It was subtle at first, barely there, but the longer he focused, the more he felt it. It was like a current, a gentle flow running through him.

"There," Serelith said softly, her voice cutting through the silence.

"Can you feel it?"

Mikhailis nodded slowly, his eyes still closed.

"Yeah… I think I can. It\'s like a warmth, right? Kind of like…" he hesitated, searching for the words.

<Like a dormant flame. It\'s small now, but it can grow with practice. You must learn to feed it, to let it grow until it becomes an inferno.>

Serelith smiled, her eyes lighting up.

"Exactly. You\'ve found it, Your Highness. Now let\'s move to the next step."

She stepped back, her voice taking on a slightly more excited tone.

"Alright, now that you can feel it, try to bring it out. Let the magic flow from within you, make it manifest into something tangible."

Mikhailis furrowed his brow, focusing again on the warmth inside him. He took a deep breath, imagining the energy flowing from his core, down his arms, to his fingertips. He tried to push it out, to make it real.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he felt a change. The warmth began to gather, concentrating in his hands, and then—

A small root, black as night, emerged from his palm. It was thin, unstable, trembling as it extended just a few inches before fading away.

Mikhailis\'s eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his chest. He stared at his hand, a grin spreading across his face.

"Did you see that?!" he said, his voice filled with excitement.

"I actually did it!"

Serelith\'s eyes sparkled, her smile wide.

"Congratulations, Your Highness. You managed to manifest a part of the Elder Tree\'s magic."

Mikhailis could hardly contain his excitement. He looked at his hand again, flexing his fingers.

"Alright, let\'s do it again. I can do better this time."

He closed his eyes, focusing once more. He took a deep breath, trying to draw out the warmth again. But this time, it felt different. It was like the warmth had disappeared, like it was just out of reach. He tried again, frowning in concentration, but nothing happened.

Serelith watched him, and her smile faded slightly as she saw his frustration.

Explore stories at empire

Mikhailis opened his eyes, and slowly, his expression turning into a scowl.

"Why isn\'t it working?" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

He tried again, and again, but each time, the warmth seemed further away, slipping through his fingers like water.

Serelith stepped closer, and again, her expression softening.

She reached out, taking his hand in hers.

"Your Highness, try to focus again," she said gently.

"Magic is like a living thing—it responds to your emotions. Don\'t force it. Let it flow naturally."

Mikhailis sighed, closing his eyes once more. He took a deep breath, feeling Serelith\'s hand in his, her warmth grounding him. He tried to relax, to let go of the frustration, to just feel the magic inside him.

<Remember, Mikhailis, this process is akin to cultivation. You need to nurture the energy within you. It\'s not just about force—it\'s about growth, patience. The rankings—[Baron], [Viscount], [Count], and so on—they\'re levels of cultivation. It\'s about cultivating the mana that lies dormant within you.>

Mikhailis nodded slightly, the words resonating with him.

He imagined the warmth inside him again, but this time, he didn\'t try to force it out.

He let it grow, slowly, like a plant taking root. He could feel it, a small seedling, deep within him.

"There it is," Serelith said softly, her voice filled with encouragement.

"You can see it, can\'t you? Your mana core—it\'s like a small plant, waiting to grow."

Mikhailis nodded, a small smile touching his lips.

"Yeah… I can see it."

He focused on the plant, on nurturing it, letting it grow. Slowly, he felt the warmth begin to spread again, flowing through his body, gathering in his hands.

Serelith\'s voice was filled with excitement now.

"That\'s it, Your Highness. Let it grow, let it flow."

Mikhailis took a deep breath, feeling the energy build, but this time, he didn\'t rush it. He let it come naturally, feeling the warmth spread, the power growing.

Suddenly, he felt a shift, a surge of energy, and he knew he was ready. He opened his eyes, his gaze meeting Serelith\'s.

"Now," she said softly.

"Let it manifest."

Mikhailis nodded, focusing on the energy in his hands. He took a deep breath, and then—

A root, thicker and more stable this time, emerged from his palm. It was still small, but it was solid, real. It extended a few inches before fading away, but Mikhailis could feel the difference. He had control now.

Serelith smiled, her eyes shining with pride.

"Well done, Your Highness. You\'re getting stronger."

Mikhailis grinned, his heart pounding with excitement.

"This is incredible. I can\'t believe I\'m actually doing it."

Serelith nodded, her smile widening.

"You have great potential, Your Highness. With more practice, you\'ll be able to do even more."

Mikhailis nodded, his eyes filled with determination.

"Alright, let\'s keep going. I want to reach the [Baron] rank as soon as possible."

Serelith chuckled, her eyes filled with amusement.

"Very well, Your Highness. Let\'s continue."

She stepped closer, her hand still holding his, her voice gentle.

"Close your eyes again. Let\'s focus on nurturing that mana core, on helping it grow."

Mikhailis closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He focused on the small plant inside him, on letting it grow, on feeding it with his energy.

He could feel Serelith guiding him, her hand warm in his, her presence grounding him. He could feel the energy flowing through him, growing, expanding.

But then, something shifted. He felt like he needed more—more focus, more connection. He frowned, his eyes still closed.

"Closer," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Serelith blinked, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"Closer," he repeated, his voice a bit louder this time, his eyes still closed.

Serelith hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer, her body almost touching his. She could feel his warmth, the energy radiating from him.

But still, Mikhailis shook his head, his voice filled with urgency.

"Closer."

Lira, who had been standing at the side of the room, watched with wide eyes, her cheeks coloring slightly.

"Y-Your Highness?" she stammered, her voice filled with confusion.

Serelith looked at Lira, then back at Mikhailis. She took a deep breath, and make a sly smile.

"Alright," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

She moved even closer, her body pressing against his, her arms wrapping around his shoulders as she straddled his lap. She could feel his breath on her neck, the warmth of his body against hers.

"Like this, Your Highness?" she whispered, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and something else—something deeper.

Mikhailis smiled, his eyes still closed, his voice soft.

"Yeah… just like that."

And in that moment, with Serelith sitting on top of him, her body pressed against his, Mikhailis could feel it—the energy inside him, growing, expanding, ready to be unleashed.