The Eccentric Entomologist is Now a Queen's Consort

Mikhailis paced in the shadows, a slight frown tugging at his lips. Twelve goblins stood before him, eyes blank and clueless as they awaited his command. The pressure was mounting; he needed to find a scapegoat, someone to take the blame for the recent chaos. But the choice had to be perfect. If he chose wrong, it would bring him more trouble than he could handle.

He glanced at the Hypnoveil talisman hidden in his pocket, the faint hum of energy thrumming against his palm. He'd been leaning on the Hypnoveil a lot lately, but this was a desperate situation, and desperate measures were needed. Mikhailis slipped away from his group, muttering some vague excuse about investigating a lead. The goblins, being goblins, nodded dumbly and stayed put.

The corridor was empty, the flickering torches casting long shadows on the rough stone walls. Mikhailis checked around to make sure he was alone before taking out the talisman. The Hypnoveil appeared, slinking from the shadows, its eyes gleaming with a faint intelligence.

"Alright, pal, we're gonna make some chaos," Mikhailis whispered, smirking.

"Find me a lone goblin—one that won't be missed for a while."

The Hypnoveil's vines wriggled, its form slipping seamlessly into the darkness. Mikhailis waited, his fingers drumming against the stone wall as he thought. A few moments later, the creature returned, nudging Mikhailis with one of its tendrils. It motioned to the far end of the corridor, where a single goblin was standing guard, looking more bored than vigilant.

Perfect.

"Let's get to work," Mikhailis muttered. He watched as Hypnoveil approached the goblin, its movements swift and silent. Within seconds, the goblin's eyes glazed over, and it began to sway, a vacant look overtaking its features. Mikhailis grinned and moved closer.

"Now, go make a scene, you poor unfortunate soul," he whispered, his voice laced with mock sympathy. The goblin's eyes flickered in response, and it stumbled off, heading towards the main courtyard, its movements erratic and jerky.

Mikhailis followed at a distance, staying hidden as the hypnotized goblin began to draw attention. It started mumbling incoherently, its arms flailing, its behavior becoming increasingly suspicious. The other goblins began to murmur, their eyes narrowing as they watched. The murmurs grew louder, and within moments, the entire area was buzzing with accusations.

"It's him! He's Traitor! Traitor as well!" one of the goblins shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the hypnotized goblin.

Mikhailis smirked from his hiding spot, watching as the crowd turned on the hypnotized goblin. The goblin, unable to resist the power of Hypnoveil, merely nodded, its vacant eyes giving the impression of guilt. The crowd's anger grew, their shouts becoming more aggressive as they closed in on the goblin, their fists clenched, their eyes wild.

The Goblin Apostle—still seething from the earlier chaos—stomped forward, its dark aura pulsating as it looked at the scene before it. It growled low, its eyes narrowing at the hypnotized goblin, then gestured with one massive hand.

"Kill... traitor," it growled, its voice deep and commanding.

The crowd surged forward, and Mikhailis turned away, not particularly interested in watching the gruesome execution. Instead, he slipped back towards his group, his thoughts racing. He needed to stay sharp, stay a step ahead of the Apostle, keep himself off the radar. And for now, the chaos he'd sown seemed to have worked in his favor.

After the execution, the Goblin Apostle stomped away, its steps heavy, its aura filled with menace. It made its way towards the charred remains of the food storage, its eyes narrowing as it took in the destruction. Smoke still rose from the blackened wood, and the smell of burnt grain filled the air. The Apostle's face twisted in fury, its aura darkening even further.

It let out a roar—a sound so deep it reverberated through the entire courtyard. The goblins that had gathered took a step back, fear flashing across their faces as they watched the Apostle's fury. It grabbed a broken crate and hurled it across the courtyard, the wood splintering as it hit the stone wall.

"All... gone!" it roared, its voice filled with rage.

"All food! Gone!"

Mikhailis watched from the shadows, his eyes wide as he took in the scene. The Apostle was furious—more furious than Mikhailis had anticipated. It stomped towards one of the nearby structures, a crude wooden shed that housed supplies, and with a single swing of its massive arm, it smashed it to pieces.

"Food... find food!" the Apostle roared, its voice echoing across the courtyard. It turned, its eyes blazing as it looked at the gathered goblins.

"All hunt! Now! Hunt forest! Find food!"

The goblins scrambled, their fear evident as they hurried to obey. Mikhailis watched, his heart pounding in his chest. The Apostle's fury was dangerous, and he knew that if he didn't act carefully, he could easily end up in the same situation as the executed goblins.

The Apostle took a deep breath, its aura still crackling with dark energy. It looked out over the goblins, its eyes filled with a cold determination.

"Tomorrow... attack! Need food. If no food... all die!" it growled, its voice low, its eyes filled with menace.

The goblins nodded, their eyes wide, their fear palpable. Mikhailis clenched his fists, his mind racing. An attack tomorrow? That was bad news—he needed to figure out a way out of this mess, and fast.

____

Mikhailis had no choice but to lead his group of twelve goblins towards the eastern side of the forest. The pressure was immense—he'd been unexpectedly promoted to a leadership position, and now he had to make sure they actually returned with enough food to keep the Apostle off their backs. But as much as the situation was dangerous, Mikhailis couldn't help but see it as an opportunity.

Maybe this is my chance to learn more about the area... maybe even find a way to get out of here, he thought, his eyes scanning the dense forest before him.

The goblins were restless, their eyes darting around, their hands gripping their crude weapons. They were eager, ready to prove themselves after the Apostle's threat. Mikhailis took a deep breath, trying to steady his thoughts.

"Alright, you lot, listen up," he said, his voice steady.

"We're hunting, but we're not going in blind, got it? We're gonna do this smart—you follow my lead, and we'll get out of this alive."

The goblins nodded, their eyes wide, their expressions a mix of fear and confusion. Mikhailis smirked slightly, shaking his head.

"Alright... let's move."

They moved through the forest, the dense trees casting long shadows on the forest floor. Mikhailis led the way, his eyes scanning the area, his senses on high alert. The forest was alive with sounds—the rustling of leaves, the distant calls of animals, the crunch of twigs underfoot. It was both eerie and beautiful, and Mikhailis found himself almost enjoying the strange atmosphere.

After a while, Mikhailis spotted them—a pack of large, boar-like creatures, their thick hides covered in dark bristles. They were grazing in a clearing, their heads down, their tusks glinting in the dappled sunlight.

Mikhailis grinned, a plan already forming in his mind.

"Alright, listen up," he whispered, turning to his group. "Half of you—go around, make some noise, get their attention. The rest of you, stay with me. We're gonna hit them from behind while they're distracted."

The goblins nodded, their eyes wide, their bodies tense. Mikhailis motioned for them to move, and they obeyed, their movements quick and silent. The goblins circled around the pack of boar-like creatures, their eyes focused, their weapons ready.

The first half of the group burst into the clearing, their voices loud, their weapons clattering as they charged at the creatures. The boars—startled by the sudden commotion—lifted their heads, their eyes wide with surprise.

"Now!" Mikhailis shouted, leading the rest of the goblins into the clearing. They moved quickly, their weapons striking the boars from behind, targeting their vulnerable spots. The creatures let out panicked squeals, their bodies thrashing as they tried to fight back, but the goblins had the upper hand.

Mikhailis swung his weapon, a crude blade, striking one of the boars on its flank. The creature let out a squeal, its body buckling as it fell to the ground. The goblins moved in, their strikes coordinated, their attacks relentless.
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Within moments, the pack was down, their bodies lying motionless on the forest floor. Mikhailis let out a breath, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked around, taking in the sight of the fallen creatures, the goblins standing over them, their expressions a mix of surprise and pride.

"See? Told you we could do it," Mikhailis said, a grin spreading across his face. The goblins looked at him, their eyes wide, their expressions slowly shifting from confusion to something almost like respect.

Mikhailis nodded, his grin widening. "Alright, let's get these back to the fortress. We've got a lot of mouths to feed."

The goblins moved quickly, their movements efficient as they began to gather the fallen creatures. Mikhailis watched, a sense of satisfaction washing over him. They'd done it—they'd actually managed to pull off a successful hunt without losing anyone. And that, in itself, was a victory.

But just as they began to move, Mikhailis felt it—a strange sensation, a surge of energy that seemed to come from deep within him. He stumbled, his body suddenly feeling heavy, his muscles tensing, his skin prickling.

"What... is this?"