But something felt missing.
He frowned, adjusting the glasses slightly on his nose.
"Rodion, you know what?" he whispered, careful not to disturb the sleeping Elowen beside him.
"Maybe... maybe I should get another soldier ant out there, just in case. You know, in case we come across some trouble."
<You just want to watch them hunt like you’re playing a monster game, don’t you, Mikhailis?>
Mikhailis’s eyes widened slightly, his lips curling into a grin.
"Yes! Exactly! Is there anything wrong with that? If my wifey wasn’t sleeping in my arms, I’d be jumping up and down right now because of these ants!" He kept his voice low, the excitement obvious.
<Your honesty is refreshingly predictable. Very well, deploying a second soldier ant to assist with the current mission.>
Mikhailis kept his eyes on the display, the thrill of anticipation bubbling inside him as he watched the first ant sneak into the kitchen area. The view shifted slightly as the ant crawled along the floor, hugging the wall to stay out of sight.
And that’s when Mikhailis saw them—two figures, barely illuminated by the dim light of the kitchen’s candle.
A cook, dressed in a white tunic, was standing there, his back against the kitchen table, his arms wrapped around someone else—a guard, her armor partially unbuckled, her helmet placed carelessly on the counter beside them. They were kissing, their faces flushed, completely unaware of their tiny observer.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Mikhailis whispered, a grin spreading across his face.
"Getting a little cozy, aren’t we?"
The ant stayed still, watching the couple as they kissed, the cook’s hand moving to the back of the guard’s head, pulling her closer. Mikhailis chuckled, shaking his head.
"How dirty. I guess between a woman and a man, there’s always bound to be some sort of chemistry." He smirked.
<Are you planning to continue watching the obscene scene, or are we going to continue the journey, Mikhailis?>
Rodion’s voice cut through his thoughts, a hint of disapproval in the AI’s tone.
Mikhailis sighed dramatically, though the grin remained on his face.
"Fine, fine. We’ll continue. You really know how to spoil my fun, Rodion."
<The second soldier ant has arrived. Displaying a secondary feed through the glasses.>
Mikhailis adjusted his glasses, watching as a second screen appeared beside the first. The second ant approached the kitchen area from the opposite side, its view showing the flickering glow of the candle and the couple still caught up in each other.
"Alright, let’s get moving," Mikhailis muttered. He focused on the display, directing both ants to leave the kitchen behind. He had barely managed to calm himself, keeping his focus away from the couple’s intimate moment. As the ants moved forward, they passed by a wooden table, and Mikhailis’s eyes widened slightly.
"Rodion, look at that," he whispered, pointing at the two loafs of bread sitting on the table, along with a few leftovers—a half-eaten piece of cheese, some dried meat.
<Interesting. These items could certainly prove useful for expanding the food storage chamber.>
"Exactly. This is perfect for the colony." Mikhailis grinned.
"Send the message to the workers, would you? Let’s get them to pick up the bread and bring it back to the nest. Silently, of course."
<Approximate chance of victory: 85%. Soldier ants have the advantage in numbers and defensive capabilities. The mouse, however, has superior mobility and size. Commencing battle sequence. Displaying available skills.>
A list of skills appeared on the screen, and Mikhailis’s eyes widened with excitement.
"Whoa, look at that..." he whispered.
The skills were simple—basic physical attacks like Bite, Pincer Strike, Defensive Coil. But it was enough to make Mikhailis feel like he was playing a monster game, the kind he used to love back in Ruslania.
"Rodion, this is incredible. I feel like I’m playing a monster taming game!"
<I suppose that is one way to view the situation, though it is worth noting that this is a real creature and not a game simulation.>
Mikhailis grinned, his excitement growing.
"Alright, let’s do this. I’ll handle the commands. Let’s start with Pincer Strike—both ants, simultaneously. We’ll go for its hind legs first."
The soldier ants moved in unison, their pincers raised as they approached the mouse. The mouse’s ears twitched, and it turned, its small eyes widening as it spotted the approaching ants. It let out a squeak, its body tensing, but the ants were already in position.
"Now!" Mikhailis commanded, his eyes glued to the display.
The soldier ants lunged forward, their pincers clamping down on the mouse’s hind legs. The mouse squealed, trying to pull away, but the ants held firm, their bodies bracing against the mouse’s frantic movements.
"Good, good... Now, Defensive Coil! Wrap around its legs, keep it from moving."
One of the ants moved quickly, circling around the mouse’s legs, its body coiling tightly around them. The mouse struggled, its small body writhing, but it couldn’t break free. The other ant moved in, its pincers clamping down on the mouse’s tail, holding it in place.
Mikhailis felt his heart pounding, his eyes wide with excitement.
"This is it... Finish it off with Bite! Go for the neck!"
The soldier ants moved in unison, their mandibles snapping open as they lunged forward. The mouse let out one last squeal before the ants’ jaws closed around its neck, the sound echoing through the chamber.
Mikhailis watched, his breath caught in his throat, as the mouse went still, its body slumping to the ground. The ants held their position for a moment, then slowly released their grip, their antennae twitching as they confirmed the kill.
<Battle complete. Victory achieved. Soldier ants are now preparing to transport the intruder’s remains back to the Food Storage Chamber.>
Mikhailis let out a breath, leaning back into the pillows, a grin spreading across his face.
"We did it, Rodion. We actually did it."
<Indeed. Though I must remind you that it is now time to rest, Mikhailis. The hour is late, and your body requires sleep.>
Mikhailis sighed, glancing over at Elowen, who was still sleeping peacefully beside him. He reached over, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, his expression softening.
"Yeah, you’re right. It’s been a long day." He leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to Elowen’s forehead, his voice barely above a whisper.
"We can continue playing ant empire tomorrow, I guess."
He settled back into the bed, his eyes closing as he let out a tired sigh. The excitement of the day still lingered, but the exhaustion was finally catching up to him. As he drifted off to sleep, he could still feel the connection to his ants, the sense of control and power that came with it.
And he couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow would bring.