The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

"If you're fine, then what is the meaning of this position, oh my dear prickly maid, Lira?" Mikhailis said, his tone dripping with exaggerated politeness, as if the absurdity of their situation had only just occurred to him.

Lira looked down at him, her face calm, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her hands moved to rest lightly on the back of his neck, her fingertips brushing against his skin.

"I saw you getting tired," she said, her voice soft.

"Afraid you might get bummed and bored by the banquet or something. You looked like you needed rescuing."

Mikhailis smirked, leaning back slightly to get a better look at her face.

"Oh, so out of concern, you decided to just flirt with me, hmm?" His eyes glinted with mischief, a teasing smile pulling at his lips.

Lira's eyes narrowed slightly as she leaned closer, her face inching toward his.

"Of course not, Your Highness," she whispered, her tone dripping with mock sincerity.

"I'm just soothing your poor soul. The one that didn't manage to save your unsociable self during that dreadful banquet… and even got abandoned by your own wife." Her breath brushed against his ear as she spoke, her lips curving into a small smile.

"Besides," she continued, her voice dropping even lower, "Her Majesty won't be back for quite some time. Four hours, to be precise. So…"

Mikhailis's smile widened as his hand moved to her waist, pulling her a little closer.

"Then what do you mean by saying that, I wonder?" His voice held a hint of playfulness, though there was something more behind his eyes—a challenge, perhaps.

Lira giggled softly, her fingers trailing up from his neck, her face getting closer to his.

"Even if you say that," she said, her voice barely a whisper now, "I can clearly feel your towering part pressing against me, Your Highness. You know… down there."

Mikhailis blinked, then let out a soft chuckle, his eyes narrowing as he looked up at her.

Ah, there it is. The real Lira—always with her sharp tongue. Seriously this girl doesn't really hold herself back when she flirts, does she?

"I guess it's pretty hard to hide, considering the situation," he murmured, his fingers lightly squeezing her waist. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes locked onto hers, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"But tell me, dear Lira, are you not the least bit tempted by this poor, bored consort?"

Lira rolled her eyes, her lips still curved in that teasing smile.

"Tempted?" she repeated, her voice light, almost amused.

"Your Highness, you're assuming too much." She shifted her weight slightly, her body pressing even closer to his, her gaze never wavering.

"This is merely part of my duty, after all."

Mikhailis laughed softly, his eyes glinting with amusement.

This woman… always dancing on the edge.

"Is that so?" he said, his voice a low murmur, his hand moving up her back, his fingers brushing against the fabric of her uniform.

"Well then, I must say… you're quite dedicated to your duties, Lira."

Lira raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smile that was equal parts teasing and daring.

"I take my responsibilities very seriously, Your Highness," she replied, her tone perfectly even, though her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief.

Mikhailis's gaze softened for a moment, his eyes searching hers. He could feel the tension between them, the unspoken words, the delicate balance they were both walking. He leaned in slightly, his lips brushing against her ear as he spoke, his voice barely audible.

"You know… you're not just my maid, Lira. You never were."

For a moment, Lira's composure faltered, her breath hitching slightly. But she quickly recovered, her smile returning, her eyes still locked onto his.

"Careful, Your Highness," she whispered, her voice carrying a hint of warning. "Flattery might just get you into trouble."

Mikhailis grinned, his hand moving back down to her waist, his fingers tightening slightly.

"Oh, I'm counting on it. You're my very special Lira, after all," he whispered.

And finally he saw it.

Lira blushed as she tried to lower her head, he pressed their foreheads together to make sure he saw her flushed face clearly.

"Y-Your Highness... That's unfair..." She pouted.

"Is there any rules for this in the first place?" Mikhailis chuckled.

For a moment, they stayed like that, their foreheads pressed together, the air between them thick with unspoken words. Then, slowly, Mikhailis closed the distance between them, his lips brushing against hers, gentle at first, almost hesitant, as if testing the waters.

Lira responded immediately, her hands moving to cup his face as she deepened the kiss. It was as if a dam had broken, all the tension that had been building between them finally spilling over. The kiss was anything but gentle now—it was fierce, passionate, filled with all the emotions they had kept buried for so long.

Mikhailis's hand moved to the back of her head, his fingers tangling in her hair as he pulled her closer, his lips moving against hers with an urgency that surprised even him. Lira's lips parted, her tongue darting out to meet his, and he let out a low groan, his other hand tightening on her waist.

"Y-Your highness- Mmnnh"

Their tongues met, a dance that was both familiar and new, a mix of hesitation and hunger. Lira's tongue was slim and soft, tasting faintly of the wine she had sipped earlier at the banquet. The taste was intoxicating, and Mikhailis found himself wanting more, needing more. He tilted his head, deepening the kiss even further, his lips moving against hers as if trying to memorize every curve, every line.

The sound of their kiss filled the room—wet, needy, the quiet smacking of lips and the occasional soft moan escaping from one of them. It was almost as if they were trying to devour each other, each kiss more intense than the last, their bodies pressed together so tightly that Mikhailis could feel every curve of her against him.

Lira's hands moved from his face to his shoulders, her fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt as she clung to him, her body arching into his. Mikhailis could feel her heart pounding against his chest, matching the frantic beat of his own. He pulled her even closer, his hand sliding down her back, resting on her lower back, his fingers pressing into her.

"Y-Your Highness..."

She let out a soft whimper, her lips breaking away from his for just a moment, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

Pant! Pant! Pant! Your next chapter is on empire

"Mmh!?"

But Mikhailis didn't let her pull away for long—he captured her lips again, his kiss demanding, his tongue slipping past her lips to tangle with hers once more.

The world outside seemed to fade away, the only thing that mattered was the feel of her in his arms, the taste of her on his lips, the way she responded to his every touch, every kiss. It was overwhelming, all-consuming, a fire that burned through both of them, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Lira's hands moved to his hair, her fingers tangling in the soft strands as she pulled him closer, her lips moving against his with a hunger that matched his own. She kissed him like she needed him, like he was the only thing that mattered, and Mikhailis found himself getting lost in her, in the taste of her, the feel of her.

He pulled away slightly, his forehead resting against hers, both of them breathing heavily, their lips still brushing against each other. Mikhailis opened his eyes, looking into hers, his gaze filled with a mixture of desire and something deeper, something he wasn't quite ready to put into words. Lira's flushed face, her eyes half-lidded and filled with emotion, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps, only made the moment more intense.

"Please... Do me, Your Highness,"