The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

"No, no, it was nothing special. Just another council meeting."

Unexpectedly, Serelith chimed in from her side, her eyes also gleaming, almost admiring.

"No, really, Your Majesty. You were so cool today, wonderful even," she said with such fervor that Elowen almost flinched. Serelith had a noticeable blush, and, to Elowen\'s surprise, a bit of saliva was gathering at the corner of her lips.

Elowen gave Serelith a concerned glance, her tone polite but tinged with hesitation.

"Um, Serelith, are you… fine?"

Serelith blinked, quickly wiping the corner of her mouth and looking embarrassed, though she gave Elowen a bashful smile. Before anything else could be said, Aelthris spoke up, a teasing tone dancing in his words.

"Perhaps it\'s because of a certain \'service\' that the prince consort succeeded in giving last night, wouldn\'t you say?" He smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Elowen flushed instantly, her face turning a deep shade of red. Vyrelda quickly reacted, her eyes widening as she shot Aelthris a stern glare.

"Aelthris! What kind of inappropriate remark is that about Her Majesty?" she almost shouted, her face flushing as well.

Serelith, not one to back down, stepped in front of Aelthris, her eyes narrowing.

"What are you saying, you bastard?" she hissed, her voice low and filled with disdain.

"Mocking Queen Elowen like that…"

But Aelthris didn\'t flinch. He looked back at her with an unfazed expression.

"There is nothing wrong with what I said. It\'s the prince consort\'s job, after all, isn\'t it?" His voice was calm, almost too rational.

"His role is to support Her Majesty, including in… that position. It\'s only natural he would \'boost\' her in whatever way necessary."

Elowen found herself speechless. The conversation had taken an unexpected turn, and she didn\'t quite know how to respond. On one hand, she wanted to protest Aelthris\' insinuation, but on the other, she could see that he was simply stating it in the most matter-of-fact way, as if it was part of her duties and Mikhailis\'.

There was no malice in his tone, and oddly enough, she realized he was almost praising Mikhailis for fulfilling his role.

But still… to be discussed so openly…

She felt her face grow hotter. The thought of Mikhailis in that context made her heartbeat quicken, and suddenly, an image flashed through her mind—Mikhailis pampering her upon her return, waiting for her with open arms, ready to provide everything she needed. Isn\'t that exactly what he was doing? He was almost like… a house-husband, wasn\'t he?

And that made her feel something—a warmth spreading through her body, remembering how he supported her not just emotionally, but physically in bed, too. The way he always knew what she needed, the way he touched her, took care of her desires…

Before she knew it, she didn\'t say a single word of protest. Her lips remained sealed, and she merely continued walking forward, trying not to let her expression give away the thoughts running rampant in her mind.

They soon arrived at the queen\'s study, where a stack of reports, proposals, and documents awaited her attention. The pile was as imposing as ever, and Elowen sighed softly as she settled in her seat, her fingers brushing over the parchment.

"Alright, let\'s get to work," she muttered, though her heart was heavy with the thought of having to sift through pages and pages of tedious paperwork.

It was troublesome, to say the least. The proposals were often filled with convoluted formalities, unnecessary repetition, and vague language meant to obscure the real intentions behind the requests. It made the entire process of decision-making cumbersome and time-consuming.

But just as she was about to dive into the first document, Rodion\'s voice echoed softly in her earpiece.

<There is a more efficient method, Your Majesty. Simply scan the contents with your glasses, and I will summarize the key points for you. You may discuss them with me, if you wish, as if mumbling to yourself. It will expedite the process significantly.>

Elowen blinked, her eyes widening slightly. She adjusted her glasses and scanned the first page, watching as the words were quickly analyzed and summarized in the display projected in her vision. It was astonishingly fast—within seconds, Rodion provided her with a concise overview of the proposal.

It turned out that much of the proposal was filled with overly formal language that could have been summarized into a few clear sentences. Rodion\'s succinct summary made it easy for her to understand the core issue. She smiled, impressed by the efficiency.

Before Aelthris could even start discussing the first proposal, Elowen cleared her throat, speaking up.

"Regarding the matter of adjusting the tax rates for the agricultural sector in the northern province," she began, her voice steady.

"I believe the main concern is ensuring fair compensation for farmers due to recent poor harvests, correct?"

Aelthris looked at her, a bit surprised by how quickly she seemed to have grasped the key issue. He nodded.

"Exactly, Your Majesty."

Elowen continued, her eyes still focused on the documents, though her attention was split between them and Rodion\'s whispered guidance.

"I believe we can address this by implementing a temporary reduction in tax rates specifically for affected areas. Additionally, allocating funds from the royal treasury to support infrastructure improvements will help prevent further losses."

Rodion provided further information—numbers, timelines, and potential outcomes. Elowen spoke smoothly, citing details that showed a deep understanding of the situation. She could see Aelthris and the other council members exchange glances, their expressions impressed.

Vyrelda then spoke up, her voice tentative.

"Your Majesty, regarding the military supply chain to the northern borders, there has been a delay in the delivery of equipment. The report states that it is due to logistical issues—"

Elowen nodded, her glasses scanning the relevant document, Rodion feeding her a summary within seconds.

<Supply chain delay identified. Root cause: mismanagement in coordination between transport units. Suggested solution: direct intervention by assigning military overseer for coordination until stability is restored.>

Elowen raised her gaze to Vyrelda, her voice calm.

"It appears the delay is a result of mismanagement in coordinating the transport units. I suggest assigning a military overseer temporarily to manage the logistics until the issue is resolved. This should prevent further delays."

Vyrelda blinked, then nodded, clearly taken aback by Elowen\'s prompt response.

"Of course, Your Majesty. I will see to it."

The discussions continued, and before she knew it, the pile of documents on her desk had shrunk considerably. Elowen found herself almost enjoying the process—Rodion made it so much easier, summarizing, displaying relevant data, and even providing SWOT analyses for each decision she needed to make.

She had learned about SWOT analysis from Rodion—a way to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each proposal. It allowed her to make informed, balanced decisions for the future of the kingdom. She felt empowered, more capable than ever of managing the complexities of governance.

As Aelthris, Vyrelda, and Serelith were busy reviewing the final details of the reports—each of them focused on their respective areas—an idea crossed Elowen\'s mind. She leaned back slightly, whispering to Rodion.

"Rodion, can you show me what Mikhailis is doing right now?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

<Gladly, Your Majesty.>

Within moments, the display shifted, showing Mikhailis sitting in his own study, his face illuminated by the light from his computer screen. Elowen smiled, a warmth spreading through her chest at the sight of him, focused and working.

"What is he doing?" she whispered, her curiosity piqued.

The display zoomed in, showing Mikhailis\' expression—focused, almost serious. Then the sound from his computer came through the feed, and Elowen\'s eyes widened slightly.

"Ahn! Stop!" the sound of a woman\'s voice, filled with breathy moans, echoed softly in her earpiece. Elowen blinked, her cheeks instantly reddening.

Rodion\'s voice, however, was entirely unfazed.

<It appears that Mikhailis is currently gathering resources on how to… satisfy his wife in the best possible way. This may explain why, despite being inexperienced at the start, he has been highly effective in ensuring your satisfaction during your intimate encounters.>

Elowen\'s face flushed a deep crimson, her eyes widening as memories of their first night together flashed through her mind. Mikhailis had indeed been surprisingly smooth, his touch knowing and skilled. She had always wondered how he had managed to make her feel so good despite claiming to be a virgin.

Without even realizing it, her hand moved toward her lap, her fingers brushing against her inner thigh. She felt her body growing warmer, her breath hitching as she stared at the screen. Her lips parted slightly, a soft sigh escaping her lips as her eyes remained glued to Mikhailis\' image.

She watched as he leaned closer to his computer, his brow furrowed in concentration, his lips moving slightly as if mimicking words from the screen. There was something about the dedication he put into it, the way he wanted to make sure she was always satisfied, that stirred something deep within her.

Her fingers pressed slightly against herself, her eyes half-lidded as she whispered.

"Mikhailis…"

Suddenly, a voice cut through the haze.

"Your Majesty?"

Elowen gasped, her eyes widening in shock. She straightened abruptly, her hand shooting away from her lap, her heart pounding as the display disappeared from her vision. She turned, her face flushed, to see Aelthris, Vyrelda, and Serelith all staring at her, each of them with a different expression—concern, curiosity, and amusement.

She cleared her throat, her face growing even hotter under their gaze.

"It\'s… it\'s nothing," she said, her voice barely hiding her embarrassment.

Aelthris raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips quirking up slightly.

"Perhaps moving through everything with such efficiency has left you rather… depleted, Your Majesty?" His tone was teasing, but there was a gentleness in his eyes.

"I didn\'t expect that you\'d already be missing the prince consort this early in the day."

Vyrelda blushed, her gaze darting away as she fumbled with a stack of documents. Serelith, on the other hand, couldn\'t suppress a grin, her eyes filled with a mixture of mischief and sympathy.

Elowen took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. She cleared her throat once more, lifting her chin as she looked at them, doing her best to appear unaffected.

"Enough of that. Let\'s continue with the discussions."

Aelthris nodded, his expression returning to its usual composed demeanor, though a hint of amusement still lingered in his eyes.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Vyrelda shot Elowen a small, supportive smile before diving back into the documents she was reviewing. Serelith, on the other hand, seemed to be fighting back laughter, her lips pressed together tightly as she tried to focus on her own work.

Elowen did her best to ignore the heat still lingering in her cheeks as she turned her attention back to the remaining documents. Rodion\'s voice quietly echoed in her earpiece, the AI seemingly aware of her discomfort.

<Apologies, Your Majesty. I did not intend to cause any embarrassment. Perhaps my choice of words could have been more… considerate.>

Elowen let out a soft sigh, her lips curving into a small smile despite herself. She appreciated the sentiment, even if it came from an AI.

"It\'s fine, Rodion. Just… let\'s be more discreet next time, alright?"

<Understood. I shall endeavor to improve my discretion.>

She shook her head slightly, her smile lingering as she picked up the next document. As much as the day had taken an unexpected turn, she couldn\'t help but feel a warmth in her chest—knowing that she had Mikhailis by her side, and now, with Rodion\'s assistance, she truly felt capable of handling whatever challenges came her way.

The rest of the session went by smoothly, the discussions flowing easily with Rodion\'s guidance and her council members each handling their respective areas. Aelthris reviewed the financial decisions she had made, ensuring that everything was in line with the kingdom\'s policies. Vyrelda focused on the military reports, and Serelith provided input on magical activities and court magicians.

Even though the work was still demanding, it felt different—lighter, somehow. Rodion\'s assistance made the decision-making process efficient, allowing her to focus on the bigger picture rather than getting bogged down by the tedious details. And despite the earlier embarrassment, she felt more confident, more in control.

As the last document was signed and filed, Elowen leaned back in her chair, letting out a soft sigh of relief. Aelthris looked up, nodding approvingly.

"That concludes the reports for today, Your Majesty. I must say, your efficiency has been remarkable."

Vyrelda chimed in, her expression filled with admiration.

"Truly, Your Majesty. I\'ve never seen the council\'s work move so smoothly."

Serelith nodded, her lips curving into a smile.

"You\'re amazing, Your Majesty. You handled everything flawlessly."

Elowen gave them a grateful smile, her heart swelling with pride at their words. She felt a sense of accomplishment—a feeling that she was truly growing into her role as queen. She had faced countless challenges, but with Mikhailis, Rodion, and her trusted council by her side, she knew she could face whatever lay ahead.

"Thank you, all of you," she said, her voice filled with sincerity.

"I couldn\'t have done it without your support."

Aelthris bowed slightly, his expression softening.

"It is our duty and our honor, Your Majesty."

Vyrelda nodded, her eyes filled with loyalty.

"Always, Your Majesty."

Serelith smiled, her gaze warm.

"We\'re here for you, no matter what."

Elowen took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her responsibilities settle on her shoulders, but this time, it felt different. It felt manageable, even empowering. She knew there would always be challenges—political disputes, conflicts, and threats—but she also knew that she was not alone.

She stood, her posture straightening as she looked at her council members.

"Very well. Let us adjourn for today. Thank you for your hard work."

The three of them bowed, each of them offering their own words of respect before leaving the room. As the door closed behind them, Elowen let out a soft sigh, her gaze drifting to the window. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, golden glow across the horizon.

She smiled, her thoughts drifting to Mikhailis. She could still picture him in her mind—sitting in his study, focused on his work, the light from his computer reflecting in his eyes. The memory made her chest tighten with warmth, and she couldn\'t help but whisper his name once more.

"Mikhailis…"

Rodion\'s voice broke the silence, his tone gentle.

<Would you like me to relay a message to the prince consort, Your Majesty?>

Elowen shook her head, her smile deepening.

"No, that won\'t be necessary, Rodion. I\'ll see him soon enough."

<Understood. I shall remain at your service, Your Majesty.>