Insect Tamer's Ascension-Chapter 31: THE TALK

The room was completely silent, and when Theo looked at his father sitting on his lavish chair, he found himself trapped under his piercing gaze.

'What the hell is this pressure...?'

The silence in the room wasn't peaceful—it was suffocating. The air felt heavier, pressing down on Theo's shoulders, making it difficult to breathe.

"Theo," the Baron spoke in a deep voice, making Theo's eyebrow twitch from the pressure.

"I heard some things about you from Alfred... I need you to confirm if they are absolutely true... Understood?"

"Yes," Theo responded almost instantly.

The Baron nodded, his gaze still locked onto Theo. He didn't know what to expect at this point—his father seemed angry.

"Did you have your taming ceremony yet?" the Baron asked, his voice calm but unwavering.

"Yes..."

"What did you tame?" The Baron went straight to the point, forcing Theo to take a silent, deep breath.

"It is an Iron Mantis, Father..." Theo spoke with hesitation at first, but he quickly realized something.

Getting scared in front of his father was the least productive thing he could do. He straightened himself and put on a confident front.

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The Baron noticed the change in demeanor, but it did nothing to calm his anger.

"As the heir of Merrick, you dare make such a mistake, Theo? Do you comprehend what you have done?" The Baron's tone turned threatening, but Theo refused to let it break him.

'Calm down, Theo... You've been waiting for this day your whole life...'

"In my eyes, it's not a mistake, Father. It's an opportunity that will make me the greatest tamer one day," Theo declared. Though even he had trouble fully believing it, he had no choice but to become that person.

"Are you saying... that you will become the greatest tamer with a measly insect as your first tame? Did I hear that correctly, Alfred?"

"You did, Master."

"Well, color me surprised, Theo..." The Baron leaned back in his chair and looked at Theo with a slightly calmer expression.

"Tell me your plan before I kill that damn thing and let you recover from soul damage over the next few years, Theo." His tone remained level, but the weight behind his words made Theo's spine tingle.

"Father, if it were any normal person, taming an insect would be the dumbest thing to do. Yet I am different, Father," Theo spoke with confidence, continuing without pause. "I have an affinity that not a single person on this planet has, Father. At first, I was disappointed because of it, but now? I have found the greatest way to become strong. And it is through this measly insect here."

Theo unlocked the latch of the box in his hand. The next second, something popped out and perched itself on Theo's right shoulder.

The Baron frowned as he looked at the small Iron Mantis on Theo's shoulder.

The mantis was staring directly at him, its beady eyes unblinking.

A few seconds passed, and the pressure in the room increased again.

Theo's breath caught in his throat.

He tried to inhale but found that there was nothing to breathe.

"That is either the dumbest beast I know of... or the most courageous one, Theo. Tell me, what do you plan on doing with it?" The Baron asked, and just like that, the suffocating presence dissipated.

Theo gasped, taking deep breaths to calm himself, before looking at his father with horror.

He was just about to speak when the Baron cut him off.

"And if you say that you will level it up like normal, I will kill it right now."

Theo stared at his father for a long second.

Then, to the Baron's surprise, a smile formed on his son's face.

"Simply leveling will not make this creature stronger, Father. I know that. But what if I told you that I have the ability to change this beast completely?" Theo asked, his confidence unwavering.

"I would say... that you're full of Ironbullshit."

"Master, please mind your language," Alfred interjected immediately, making the Baron nod in understanding.

"Father, give me three days to prove myself. I am showing you this mantis right now so that you can see it properly. The next time you see it, it will be completely different. I swear this on my honor, Father."

Alfred looked at Theo with a rare expression—surprise. It was the first time he had shown any emotion in this conversation.

The Baron, on the other hand, frowned at first... but with each passing second, amusement flickered across his face, until he was grinning ear to ear.

"Sure. I will give you your three days. If you manage to change this mantis in that time, I will believe you. But... if you fail, I will kill every single insect that you own. At first, I thought they were just your pets—some childish fascination. But today has shown me that this was all part of some daring plan of yours."

Theo nodded profusely, he needed his father to believe anything that could help his part, he sighed in relief.

If his father had decided to kill the Iron Mantis now, nothing in the entire Barony could stop him.

Not Alfred. Not Clara. Not Mother. No one.

Getting three days was the best possible outcome.

"You can go now, Theo Merrick. Show me what you're worth."

"Yes, Father."

Theo quickly left the room after a courteous bow, leaving Alfred and the Baron alone.

For a few moments, the Baron remained quiet before speaking again, his gaze fixed on the window.

"What do you think, Alfred? Is this just a child having a tantrum... or something serious?" There was both nostalgia and concern in his tone, something Alfred did not miss.

"Whatever this is can only be deciphered with time, Master," Alfred replied, making the Baron smile.

"But... if it is young master Theo... I reckon he may be telling the truth, Master."

The Baron turned to Alfred in mild surprise.

His gaze softened, warmth flickering in his otherwise hardened eyes at the thought of Theo succeeding.

"Well, it's a win-win for me either way. If he does what he claims, it will be the most unique thing I've seen in a long time. And if not..."

The Baron leaned back, stretching his arms.

"Then I'll just kill the damn thing and let Theo recover. There are tools that can help soul damage heal faster, after all..."