The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Mikhailis stared up at the ceiling, still feeling the lingering warmth of the two bodies pressed against him. He muttered softly.

"I now have a clone..."

<Yes, a clone. One that you still have no clue how to utilize or connect with properly>

Rodion's voice chimed in, matter-of-factly.

<But that is fine; there's plenty of time to analyze it.>

"Yeah, you're right," Mikhailis replied. He tried to lift his body but realized that he was effectively pinned down. He let out a sigh.

"I'm still stuck, aren't I?"

There was a brief pause before Rodion spoke again.

<Your wife is currently on her affairs with the Saintess, facing national issues and her duty as a queen, while you are here, enjoying the company of two women who happen to be her closest aides. If words were to reach her—and I believe you are aware of that—you would be, in a word, doomed.>

Mikhailis let out a wry chuckle, a weak smile forming on his lips.

"Please don't suddenly slap me with reality, Rodion. Could you let me live in bliss for just a few minutes longer? But well... I get it."

<Indeed, you do seem to understand.>

Rodion continued, his voice unwavering.

<You must realize by now that, in this world, nobles often have multiple wives. For you—the prince consort—you are effectively an uninfluential king, without the control of the kingdom, but still holding the title of a king. It's reasonable that you could have multiple wives. Considering the queen's duties, which keep her busy, it is only logical that she cannot fulfill her duties as a wife.>

Rodion continued, his voice taking on a contemplative note.

<It appears that Elowen is somewhat inclined to allow you to have other wives if you desire. Yet, despite this, you haven't addressed the topic at all. Why is that?>

Mikhailis snorted.

"Rodion, you are still a beginner when it comes to understanding people's feelings." He paused for a moment, glancing at the ceiling as if searching for the right words.

"Just because Elowen is allowing it, or even has a slightly positive stance toward it, doesn't mean there aren't underlying complexities. What I can tell from her demeanor is that she might be fine with me having other women, but only if they don't burden her duties as a queen, and ideally, if they help her instead.

But as a person—as Elowen herself—the idea of someone officially standing beside me still seems to trouble her."

He paused, his gaze softening as he thought of his wife.

"Wanting to have control over one's situation is only natural, especially for someone in her position as a queen. That's why I can't be reckless about this. I don't want to hurt Elowen—not after everything."

A small smile appeared on his face as he shifted his eyes back to the ceiling, a twinkle of amusement visible.

"Besides, Elowen must already know that I'm not the type to be bound by a single woman. Not that I'm proud of admitting it, but hey... I guess I can't really deny who I am." He chuckled softly.

"I do feel like a son of a bitch for saying that, though."

<Yes, you are, Mikhailis>

Rodion replied without missing a beat.

From either side of him, two voices murmured in unison.

"Yes, you are, Your Highness."

Mikhailis blinked in surprise and turned his head slightly, seeing both Lira and Serelith staring at him with half-lidded eyes, their expressions a mixture of sleepiness and amusement.

"Well, thank you for affirming that," he muttered with a chuckle, reaching out to stroke their heads. His hands ruffled through Lira's silky black hair and Serelith's messy purple locks, drawing indignant yelps from both women.

"Stop it!" they cried, practically in unison again. Lira swatted at his hand while Serelith squirmed under his touch, both of them shooting him annoyed glances. Mikhailis let out a hearty laugh and quickly stole a kiss from each of them before finally pushing himself up and out of the bed.

Stretching his arms, he let out a satisfied sigh.

"Last night was... way too long," he said, a hint of exhaustion evident in his voice. "I never thought pleasing two women at the same time could be this tiring."

Lira, still lying in bed, looked at him with a sly grin.

"You seemed vigorous enough last night to say that now, Your Highness. Honestly, I can barely move my limbs because of you."

"Indeed," Serelith added, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"You were relentless, Your Highness. I must say, I feel quite... drained." She let out an exaggerated sigh, and the two women exchanged looks.

"Well, maybe you should work on your stamina," Mikhailis replied with a teasing grin. But before he could say more, he noticed both women still exchanging looks—or rather, glares.

Lira tilted her head slightly, her lips curling up in a challenging smile.

"By the way, good morning, Lady Serelith," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Did you sleep well, or were you perhaps... too exhausted?"

Serelith scoffed, her eyes narrowing further.

"Oh, I slept just fine, Lira. I hope you managed to rest despite... certain activities," she said with an equally sarcastic tone.

Their glares intensified, and Mikhailis could feel the tension building. He watched as Lira's eyes drifted downward, a smirk forming on her lips as she glanced at Serelith's chest.

"Oh, dear, it seems you're not as well-equipped as I expected," she said, chuckling softly.

A vein appeared on Serelith's temple, and her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Why, you little..."

Mikhailis quickly clapped his hands, drawing their attention back to him.

"Alright, alright, let's not have a bloody scene this early in the morning," he said, his voice carrying a playful edge. He clapped again.

"Now, up you go, both of you! Time for the morning routine."

<Good morning, Mikhailis. Your morning routine is as follows: stretching exercises to loosen the muscles, followed by your workout. Begin with the stretches.>

Rodion's voice echoed in his ears, taking on the usual commanding tone.

Mikhailis sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Yes, yes, Rodion. Let's get to it." He began his stretches, raising his arms above his head and leaning from side to side. Surprisingly, both Lira and Serelith got out of bed and began mimicking his movements, albeit a bit stiffly.

"What are you two doing?" Mikhailis asked, raising an eyebrow.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"Joining in, of course," Serelith replied, her voice still slightly groggy.

"We could use some exercise after last night."

Lira nodded in agreement.

"Besides, it's not like we have anything better to do."

Mikhailis chuckled and continued his stretches, occasionally sneaking glances at the two women as they tried to follow his routine. It was amusing to see Serelith's usually graceful movements turn awkward as she tried to balance, while Lira's elegant demeanor remained intact even during the simplest stretches.

<Now, begin your workout. Push-ups: thirty reps,>

Rodion commanded.

Mikhailis dropped to the floor and began his push-ups, his body moving up and down rhythmically. He could hear Lira and Serelith whispering behind him, their curiosity piqued as they watched him.

"It's quite interesting," Lira mused.

"These exercises seem to focus on building strength and endurance."

Serelith nodded, her brow furrowed in concentration as she observed.

"Indeed... It's a rather practical approach for building one's physical capacity. Very different from magical training." Her expression grew serious, and she muttered to herself.

"This is quite useful... for a mage like me."

Mikhailis couldn't help but smile at the sight.

She really is something else.

After finishing his set of push-ups, he moved on to sit-ups, with Rodion counting each repetition. He could hear the two women discussing his movements in hushed tones, occasionally making comments about the techniques and how they might apply to their own training.

After breaking a decent sweat, Mikhailis finally stood up, stretching his arms above his head. Lira walked over to the door and opened it, signaling for the maids to enter.

"Come in," she said, her voice calm and collected.

As the maids entered, she looked over her shoulder at Mikhailis and added with a sly smile.

"I came early today because, well, you know... His Highness wet the bed."

Mikhailis's eyes widened, and he shot her a glare.

"How dare you make such an outrageous lie like that, little girl. I didn't wet the bed. That is outrageous."

Lira simply smiled, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Oh, forgive me, Your Highness. Perhaps I misremembered."

Mikhailis let out a frustrated sigh, shaking his head.

"You little..." He muttered under his breath, but his lips were curling up in a smile despite himself. Lira's teasing always got to him, but in a way, it seemed to make the morning feel more alive.

One of the maids immediately set about preparing a hot bath, while the others worked to tidy up the room. Lira busied herself with cleaning the bed, efficiently removing any trace of their "intense" activities from the previous night. Mikhailis couldn't help but feel a pang of embarrassment as he watched the maids bustle around.

The room was soon spotless, and he knew the time for a bath was quickly approaching.

As the bath was prepared, Lira suddenly stepped toward him, her fingers deftly unbuttoning his shirt.

"Allow me, Your Highness," she said, her voice calm and composed, but with a hint of playfulness in her eyes.

Mikhailis raised an eyebrow.

"A bit forward then usual, aren't we, Lira?" he asked, but he made no move to stop her.

From across the room, Serelith calmly walked toward the living area and switched on the television after staring daggers towards Lira for a while, her eyes fixated on the screen.

"I'll be over here," she called out, her voice echoing with her usual enigmatic charm.

"I still need to analyze this fascinating contraption called a television."

Mikhailis glanced at her, then looked back at Lira as she continued undressing him. He sighed, shaking his head.

"This is a very rowdy morning for my taste, actually."

<And I believe that it is all your own fault, Mikhailis,>