The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort Chapter 50

"So that’s what happened!?? I’m damned!!!" he muttered to himself. He heard Rodion’s voice chime in, cold and methodical as always. Mikhailis let out a breath, his brows furrowing as he considered Rodion’s words. "Alright, alright, damage control. What are my options here, Rodion?" he whispered, half hoping the AI would provide him with a clear way out of this mess. Mikhailis grimaced, sitting up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, eliminate leverage? What are we? Some sort of gangsters?" Mikhailis let out a deep sigh, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah, I’m really in a tight spot here." He looked at Rodion’s display on his glasses, eyes narrowing in thought. "I think I just need to talk to Lira first. I don’t want to force her into anything... and besides, I did this too." There was a brief pause before Rodion replied. Right at that moment, Mikhailis heard a soft groan beside him. He turned his head to see Lira beginning to stir. Her eyes blinked open, her expression momentarily dazed before recognition washed over her. She pulled the blanket up, covering herself as a small, sheepish smile appeared on her lips. "That was... intense..." she muttered, glancing out the window at the light filtering in. "We’re lucky we woke up before afternoon. It’s almost time for lunch." She stood up, grabbing a cloth to wipe her body before dressing back into her maid uniform, her movements natural as if she were merely going about her daily routine. Mikhailis watched, unsure of what to say. Lira began making the bed, her gaze meeting Mikhailis’s from time to time. She gave him a small, reassuring smile. "It’s fine, Your Highness. It’s part of a maid’s duty to relieve your needs," she said casually, her tone light as she smoothed the sheets. "Of course, I’ll keep it a secret. After all, I might end up being hanged for touching the Queen’s beloved man. It’s a risk I can’t afford." She finished the sentence by putting her index finger against her lips, striking a playful pose, her smile turning impish. Mikhailis blinked at her words, feeling a strange mix of relief and guilt. Before he could respond, Rodion’s voice echoed softly through his glasses. "Safe, then, huh?" Mikhailis mumbled, letting out a sigh. He was glad that Lira was willing to keep it quiet, but there was something about her attitude that didn’t sit right with him. It was too casual, as if she was brushing it off completely. He stood, watching as she moved about the room, her posture relaxed, but something in her eyes—something beneath the surface—made Mikhailis’s chest tighten. He cleared his throat, his expression growing more serious. "Lira..." he began, his voice a bit hesitant, but he forced himself to continue. "I just... I don’t want you to feel like this was something you were forced to feign ignorance. I don’t have any intention of avoiding responsibility for what happened." He took a deep breath. "If you want it, I will take responsibility for it. I will do right by you, Lira. I mean it. Unless you want to consider this just a mistake." His words made Lira pause, her eyes widening slightly. For a moment, the playful mask she wore seemed to drop, replaced by something softer, more vulnerable. She looked at him, and for a heartbeat, neither of them spoke. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her lips—a genuine, gentle smile. She shook her head, looking away as she resumed making the bed. "You really are something else, Your Highness," she murmured, her voice almost too soft to hear. Perhaps, if it was another noble, they wouldn’t even think about her for a second, and completely think of silencing her and making sure their name won’t get tarnished. She turned back to him, her smile still in place, though her eyes were shimmering. "I appreciate it. Truly. But for now, let’s just keep things as they are, alright? I need to prepare for lunch." She gave him a small bow, stepping back. "Please wait patiently, Your Highness." As she turned to leave, she paused at the doorway, glancing back at him. "And, please... try not to cause too much trouble. It would make things difficult for both of us," she said, her voice carrying a hint of humor. Then, in a much softer voice, almost a whisper, she added. "I’ll be waiting." And with that, she slipped out of the room, the door closing softly behind her. Mikhailis let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, running a hand through his hair. Just as he was about to sit down, Rodion’s voice cut through the quiet. Mikhailis groaned, rolling his eyes. "Oh, shut up, Rodion," he muttered, but there was a hint of a smile on his lips. Rodion’s mechanical monkey moved closer, holding a steaming cup of herbal tea in its tiny hands. Mikhailis accepted the cup, the warmth seeping into his palms as he took a sip. The taste was strong, slightly bitter, but soothing—just what he needed after the events of the morning. Mikhailis nodded absently, drinking the tea while his mind raced through the next problem—Serelith. She wasn’t someone he could just ignore. Not now. She had leverage over him and Lira. If she wanted, she could ruin everything. Rodion’s voice broke through his thoughts. Mikhailis sighed, setting down the empty teacup. "Yeah, I know. It’s not like we can just let her walk around with that kind of information." He stood up, his posture straightening as determination filled his expression. Rodion’s voice carried a hint of curiosity. Mikhailis looked at the display in his glasses, his gaze narrowing. "Rodion, I believe this is a dangerous position for me right now. So it’s fine to take a risk to remove this danger, right?" There was a brief silence, then Rodion responded. Mikhailis smirked, his eyes glinting with a mix of excitement and determination. "Alright then. Let’s go find Serelith." He took a deep breath, his mind racing with possibilities. "Tell the worker chimera ants to start searching the castle. We need to find her quickly." Mikhailis nodded, grabbing his tablet and slipping it into his pocket. He walked over to the door, taking one last look at the room. He knew what he had to do. It was risky, and it could backfire spectacularly, but he couldn’t let Serelith have that kind of control over him. "Alright, Rodion," he said, his voice steady. "Let’s go take care of this problem." He opened the door, stepping out into the hallway. The castle was quiet, the midday sunlight streaming in through the windows, casting long shadows across the stone floor. Mikhailis took a deep breath, the cool air filling his lungs. He knew he was walking into dangerous territory. But if there was one thing he’d learned since coming to this world, it was that sometimes you had to take risks to protect the people you cared about. And right now, he had a lot to protect. With that thought in mind, he set off down the corridor, his steps steady, his eyes focused ahead. He didn’t know what he would find, or how this would all end. But he knew one thing for certain—he wasn’t going to back down. Not now.