The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Chapter 250: Waking Up (End) Knocked Out Again

"Rodion," Mikhailis said, his voice quieter now, more focused.

"Can you analyze it further? You mentioned instability."

"So you’re saying it’s like ringing a dinner bell for other monsters?"

Mikhailis knelt carefully, feeling every bruise protest as he reached toward one of the larger shards. The moment his fingertips neared it, the pulse intensified. A faint shockwave rippled outward, brushing against his skin like a whisper of fire and ice. He drew his hand back sharply.

"Uh, Rodion... it just did something. Did you see that?"

Mikhailis frowned, his brow furrowing.

"Recognize me? What, is this thing sentient now?"

Mikhailis let out a slow breath, his thoughts racing.

"So what you’re telling me is I’m making it unstable just by standing here."

He grunted, rising slowly to his feet.

"I swear, Rodion, every time you explain something, it somehow sounds worse."

"Touché."

With a sigh, Mikhailis turned his head toward the scurrying Chimera Ant workers, who were already dismantling what was left of the serpent’s body with mechanical efficiency. The workers seemed unfazed by the mana radiating from the shards, carrying away smaller pieces with their mandibles.

"Alright, Rodion. Call the workers to secure these shards. I don’t want this thing blowing up in my face."

As the Chimera Ant workers converged on the glowing remains, Mikhailis couldn’t help but feel the tension in the air. The shards vibrated subtly, sending soft ripples of energy outward, as though resisting their removal. A faint hum grew louder, enough to make his teeth ache.

"You sure this is safe?" Mikhailis asked, stepping back instinctively.

"Anomalies?" Mikhailis echoed, narrowing his eyes.

"You mean more problems."

"So, you are the one who felled the Crystalgloom Serpent."

Rodion’s warning pulsed in Mikhailis’s ear again.

Mikhailis smirked weakly, the exhaustion in his limbs mocking his attempt to look unbothered.

"If you’re here to fight, can we reschedule for... never?"

The woman stepped closer, her armored boots echoing softly against the stone floor. She tilted her head slightly, unbothered by his sarcasm.

"Worry not. I did not come to fight—at least, not you. But it seems we have much to discuss."

Rodion’s voice cut in, laced with unease.

Mikhailis ignored the AI for the moment, his sharp gaze studying the woman as she approached. Despite her calm demeanor, the aura surrounding her was undeniable—an invisible pressure that weighed on the cavern like a lead curtain. His instincts screamed at him to stay on guard, but his body had little to offer in the way of resistance.

"Discuss, huh?" he rasped, trying to maintain his balance. A bead of sweat slid down his temple as the edges of his vision swam. He forced a smirk, though the effort nearly knocked the breath from him.

"You’ll have to forgive me if I’m not in the mood for a heart-to-heart right now."

The woman’s gaze swept over him, lingering for a moment as if evaluating his worth. Before Mikhailis could say another word, his knees buckled. He caught himself on the halberd, his breath ragged as another wave of pain shot through his battered body.

Rodion’s sharp tone snapped through his mind, but Mikhailis didn’t respond. The woman took a single step closer, her faint glow intensifying.

"You should rest, summoner," she said quietly, her voice carrying a strange kindness that unnerved him even more.

"You have earned that much."

For a fleeting moment, the pressure in the air eased—but then, as if triggered by his weakened state, a pulse of mana erupted from somewhere deeper in the cavern. The shockwave rattled loose rocks, sending a chill up Mikhailis’s spine.

Rodion’s voice came frantically now.

"What now...?" Mikhailis whispered, his vision swimming as he felt a sharp, splitting pain in his gut.

A powerful impact hit him square in the stomach, too fast for him to react. His body was flung backward, crashing against the cavern wall with a sickening thud. Blood surged up his throat, spilling from his mouth as he gasped for air, the world spinning wildly around him.

Rodion’s voice grew distant, alarmed.

Mikhailis struggled to focus, his trembling hand reaching for the halberd again, but his strength was gone. The last thing he saw was the faint shimmer of the woman’s form as the cavern darkened around him.

"I will... never get used... to this sensation," he muttered weakly before the void swallowed him whole.