The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Mikhailis and Cerys stood frozen for a split second as the Thorncrawler queen emerged from the smoking nest. The creature was massive—easily towering over them at nearly three meters tall, covered in thick, dark thorns that shimmered menacingly in the dim light. It let out a screech that echoed through the clearing, sending chills down Mikhailis's spine. The ground shook as the queen planted its thorn-covered legs, and in an instant, it shot massive needle-like thorns into the earth, effectively trapping them within a circle of jagged spikes.

"Well, that's new," Mikhailis muttered, his eyes widening as he took in their now limited options for escape.

<Analysis initiated. The Thorncrawler queen is considerably more dangerous than its offspring. Its size, combined with the density of its armored shell, makes direct attacks difficult. Additionally, there are traces of toxic properties in the thorns—suggesting it can emit a poisonous gas if threatened. Physical attributes include enhanced resilience, and magical properties are notable for heightened regeneration capabilities. Exercise extreme caution.>

Three meters tall...

Mikhailis felt a grin tugging at his lips despite the danger. His eyes brightened, fascinated by the creature's elaborate biological design. The sheer mass of thorns, the sleek way it moved despite its size—it was incredible.

"Oi! Your HIghness!" Cerys's voice rang out, sharp with urgency. He snapped his attention back to her, catching the exasperation on her face.

"Are you seriously getting excited now?! Get your head back in the game! We're fighting for our lives here!" She scowled, her hand tightening on her sword hilt.

"Right, right." He shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Gotta focus. This thing isn't some exotic bug exhibit; it's a monster trying to kill us.

Cerys let out a breath, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, her gaze was steely, filled with determination. The air around her began to hum as she released her mana—a surge of energy crackling around her form. The leaves on the ground rustled, caught up in the force of her aura as she focused everything on reinforcing her physical strength.

"Stay back, Your Highness," she said, her voice low but resolute. She raised her sword, her stance shifting as she prepared to charge.

"I'll keep it busy. We're taking it down. Now."

Before Mikhailis could respond, she lunged forward with a battle cry, her speed almost blurring her figure as she closed the distance between herself and the Thorncrawler queen. Her sword struck the queen's thorny carapace, the sound of metal against shell ringing out as sparks flew.

"Take that!" Cerys snarled, her blade finding a gap in the creature's armor, slicing into one of its exposed joints. The Thorncrawler queen let out an ear-piercing screech, its massive body recoiling from the blow. But its retaliation was immediate—swinging one of its thorn-covered limbs with a force that nearly knocked Cerys off her feet.

Mikhailis watched, his heart pounding. He wanted to jump in, but he knew Cerys was at her best in a one-on-one fight like this. He could only support from behind—look for openings.

"Cerys! Watch out, left side!" he called out as the queen twisted its massive body, preparing to lash out again. Cerys reacted instantly, dodging to her right, her movements fluid and precise.

"I've got this!" she shouted back, her voice unwavering as she struck again, this time leaving a deep gash along one of the queen's limbs. She pressed her advantage, her sword flashing as she aimed for the joints, her strikes swift and powerful. The queen screeched again, its body jerking back from the repeated blows, but each time it seemed to recover almost immediately. The wounds she inflicted began to seal up, the torn carapace regenerating at an alarming rate.

Cerys gritted her teeth, her frustration evident as she relentlessly attacked, her blade carving into the creature's tough shell. She managed to land another hit, slicing deep into one of its legs, but the queen refused to fall. It retaliated with a swing of its thorn-covered limb, and Cerys barely dodged in time, rolling to the side and coming up on one knee, her eyes locked on her target.

"Why won't you just stay down?!" she growled, pushing herself back to her feet. She charged again, her mana flaring, her strikes growing more aggressive. She slashed at the queen's exposed side, managing to tear away a chunk of its armor, but even as she did, the creature's flesh began to knit itself back together.

Mikhailis could see the problem. Despite her overwhelming power, the queen's regeneration was proving too much. Each time Cerys landed a blow, the queen seemed to bounce back, its massive form refusing to yield. The ground beneath them was littered with pieces of the queen's shattered armor, yet the creature stood tall, its eyes glowing with a furious, unrelenting light.

"Cerys! It's regenerating too quickly!" Mikhailis shouted, his voice filled with urgency. He could see her growing wearier with each attack, her breathing becoming more labored. She was overpowering it, landing hit after hit, but it just wasn't enough.

"Damn it," Cerys muttered under her breath, her frustration growing as she struggled to find a weak point that would stick. She swung her sword again, managing to slice off one of the queen's thorn-covered limbs, but even as the severed limb hit the ground, the queen let out a roar and continued to fight, its body already beginning to mend.

"Why won't you die?!" Cerys yelled, her voice a mix of rage and exhaustion. She backed up slightly, her eyes darting towards Mikhailis, seeking a solution as the queen lunged at her once more.

<Mikhailis, the creature appears to be regenerating rapidly. Its regenerative abilities seem to be linked to its proximity to the nest. As long as it remains connected to its nest, it will continue to recover. Elimination of the nest is imperative to ensure its defeat.>

Mikhailis's mind raced, processing Rodion's analysis.

The nest... of course. It's feeding off the nest's energy. He glanced at the smoldering remains of the smaller Thorncrawlers scattered around. They had to cut the queen off from that source.

"Cerys!" he shouted, his voice ringing out over the noise of the fight. She turned her head slightly, her eyes meeting his.

"We need to destroy the nest!" he called, pointing towards the mound of brambles behind the queen.

"It's regenerating from the nest's energy! We burn it, we cut off its power!"

Cerys's eyes widened in understanding, and she nodded, her gaze flicking to the nest. "Got it!" she shouted back, her focus shifting as she began maneuvering the queen away from the nest.

Mikhailis took a deep breath, his fingers trembling as he reached into his bag, pulling out the remaining flask of oil. He uncorked it, the acrid scent filling his nose as he poured it over a nearby branch. He struck his flint against his dagger, the spark catching as flames licked at the oil-soaked wood.

"Okay," he muttered to himself, watching the flames grow. He took another deep breath, steeling himself for what came next.

This better work.

With all the strength he could muster, he hurled the flaming branch towards the nest. It struck true, landing in the center of the brambles. The dry twigs caught fire almost instantly, the flames spreading rapidly, consuming the nest.

The Thorncrawler queen let out a deafening screech, its body thrashing as it tried to turn back towards its nest, but Cerys was relentless, blocking its path, her sword slashing at its legs. The flames grew, the heat intensifying as the nest was engulfed. Mikhailis watched, his heart pounding, as the queen began to weaken, its regeneration halted by the destruction of its source.

"Now, Cerys!" he shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

Cerys's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on her sword. She focused all her strength, her mana surging around her in a final burst of energy. With a powerful cry, she lunged forward, her sword cleaving through the queen's carapace, slicing deep into its core.

The Thorncrawler queen let out one last, echoing screech before its massive body collapsed, the life draining from it as it fell to the ground. Cerys stood over it, her chest heaving, her sword still raised. For a moment, there was only silence, the crackle of the dying flames the only sound in the clearing.

Mikhailis let out a relieved sigh. He glanced at the smoldering remains of the nest, then at the lifeless form of the queen.

"We... we did it," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Cerys turned to him, her eyes filled with exhaustion but also with pride. She took a step towards him, her expression softening as she looked at him. Without a word, she reached out, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

Mikhailis blinked, momentarily stunned, but then he smiled, his arms wrapping around her in return. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest, the warmth of her body against his, and for a moment, all the tension, all the fear melted away.

"You did great," he whispered, his voice gentle. He pulled back slightly, his eyes meeting hers.

Cerys looked at him, her gaze lingering on his, her cheeks flushed from the exertion of the fight. There was something else in her eyes now—something softer, more vulnerable. She hesitated for a moment, then leaned in, her lips pressing against his.
Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire

She's becoming more and more like a child, how cute.

The kiss was brief, but it was filled with emotion—gratitude, relief, and something deeper that neither of them could quite put into words. When they pulled away, Mikhailis could see the blush deepening on Cerys's cheeks, her eyes flicking away, suddenly shy.

He opened his mouth, about to say something, when a soft gasp made them both turn. Standing at the edge of the clearing was the young boy who had given them directions earlier, his eyes wide with awe. He had come, probably to celebrate their victory, but instead, he had witnessed their kiss.

Cerys's eyes widened, her face turning an even deeper shade of red as she quickly stepped back, her expression caught somewhere between embarrassment and disbelief. Mikhailis, on the other hand, couldn't help but laugh, the sound echoing through the clearing, breaking the tension that had hung over them.

"Oh, this is just too good," he said, his voice filled with amusement as he looked at Cerys, her face still flushed.

"Mikhailis!" she hissed, but there was no real anger in her voice, only the flustered embarrassment of someone caught in an unexpected moment. The young boy continued to stare, his mouth open slightly, his eyes flicking between the two of them.

"You two are heroes!" he said, his voice filled with awe.

"And... and you're in love too?!"

Cerys's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she turned her back to the boy, her hand coming up to cover her face. Mikhailis, still laughing, gave the boy a wink.

"You've got quite the imagination, kid," he said, ruffling the boy's hair as he walked over.

"But thanks for the help back there. We couldn't have done it without you."

The boy beamed, his face lighting up with pride.

"I knew you could do it! I told everyone you'd be the heroes!"

Mikhailis glanced back at Cerys, her shoulders still hunched in embarrassment, and he felt a warmth spread through his chest.

Yeah... maybe we are heroes. Just this once.

He looked back at the boy, his smile softening.

"Why don't you go tell them the good news?" he said, giving the boy a gentle push.

"We'll catch up soon."

The boy nodded eagerly, turning and running back towards the village, his voice already calling out with excitement as he disappeared into the trees. Mikhailis watched him go, then turned back to Cerys, his smile widening as he walked over to her.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Cerys let out a long breath, finally lowering her hand. She looked at him, her eyes still wide, her cheeks still flushed.

"I... I don't know what came over me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mikhailis reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Hey," he said softly.

"You were amazing. I'm just glad we're both still here."

Cerys looked at him, her eyes searching his, and then, slowly, she nodded. She took a step closer, her head resting against his chest. Mikhailis wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, his gaze drifting to the smoldering remains of the nest.

"We're done," he said, his voice filled with relief.

"Now let's go back to the village. We came here for the provisions, remember?"