Insect Tamer's Ascension

The dinner was weird, to say the least, but fortunately, Theo's mantis was now known by the whole family.

There was a lot of talk after that with some very curious people about the mantis. Yet there were also those who couldn't care less and just wanted to leave and do their own things.

After the dinner was done, Theo and the others were finally allowed to leave the meeting.

"I will send you an invitation soon, Theo. Let's meet again sometime." Lucien spoke while leaving. He forwarded his elbow with a grin and waited.

Theo understood and smiled. He moved his elbow close and tapped against Lucien's—it was a military way of wishing someone luck.

Theo was just about to leave when a sudden voice interrupted him from behind.

"Theo Merrick, stay behind for a minute. I would like to talk about something," the Baroness spoke with a frown.

Lucien looked at her and then at Theo, a snicker leaving his mouth soon enough as he waved a hand and left the room.

Theo took a deep breath and started moving toward his mother. The Baron was still sitting in the dining hall as well.

"What is it, Mother?" Theo asked with a curious smile. He was always forward with the Baroness, as she had taken care of him for as long as he could remember.

There was silence in the room while the Baroness kept staring at him.

"…Tell me honestly, Theo. Do you not think of me as your mother anymore?" the Baroness asked with a concerned face.

Theo was surprised. He hadn't thought she would be this emotional over something so simple. It felt weird until a though came in his mind.

'In my previous life, all my mom and dad did was give me money and a lavish life just like this one, but never did I get this much attention before…' Theo soon realized as he thought about his past.

He didn't think about it often, as there was so much to do in this life that there was no time. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire

At times, he felt like he was deceiving them by being an adult in a child's body—the child they called their own. But on the other hand, Theo had some conflicted emotions too.

The first four years of his life were a total blank in his mind. And he considered it a sensitive time, as the Baroness would most probably have breastfed him unless she had someone else do it in her stead.

Theo considered her a close person to him, someone he cared for instinctively, and he knew the feelings were mutual.

The Baroness was still waiting for a response after a minute of silence, patiently waiting.

"I would never stop thinking of you as my mother… never," Theo muttered in embarrassment. Yet somewhere in his heart, it felt nice to say it.

"I know that I have been very distant these past few days, but… never did I realize that you would have to go through so much on your own, Theo. It pains my heart," the Baroness spoke in a heart-wrenching tone.

Theo felt guilt form in his heart. His habit and mentality of doing things alone had made him dismiss the idea of sharing things with others as a non-issue.

But now, seeing her express herself in such a vulnerable way, Theo didn't feel right.

"I didn't want to disturb you, Mother." Theo crouched down and looked at his mother, who was sitting on the chair. The Baron was looking intently at the conversation, yet his emotions remained unknown.

"But I want to tell you one thing," he muttered and continued with a warm tone, "Never did I think of these past few days of my life as tough, Mother. If I am being honest, they were the best days where I felt more alive than ever."

Theo said this with so much confidence that not only the Baroness but the Baron also looked at him with wide eyes.

The Baroness could feel tears forming in her eyes, yet when she heard those words, she controlled herself. Soon, a small smile formed on her face.

"I see. I forgot to take into account that no matter how old you are… you're still a Merrick, Theo. A strong will flows through your veins." She said while wiping all the tear off, her face became confident like always.

The Baroness placed her hand gently on Theo's face, her expression as warm as a mother's should be.

"I will try to tell you what I am doing every now and then, Mother. But please, don't ever make such a face again." Theo stated with a guilty tone.

The Baroness chuckled and nodded before she hugged him.

"Clara, make sure he eats properly and sleeps on time. His habits are like all his other siblings... and the father obviously, only… they seem to be even more intense. So take extra care, okay?" She broke the hug and instructed while looking at Clara, who nodded so frantically that her neck popped once.

Theo chuckled, and so did Clara. The Baron just shook his head with a smile.

"Good night, Mother and Father. I will show you some more progress soon enough."

"You do—"

"Take it easy. You don't have to run so fast. With what I heard today, you will be alright either way." The Baron interrupted the Baroness from speaking and stated with a calm tone.

Theo was surprised but smiled and nodded in return.

He bid farewell to them all and moved toward his room.

"You can't stop smiling, young master," Clara muttered from behind with a giggle, and Theo realized it too—he was smiling.

"I am in a good mood today, Clara. After a good night's sleep, let's go to the forest tomorrow. With Father, Mother, and everyone knowing about the situation now, I wouldn't even mind living in the forest from now on if need be," Theo said with a confident grin.

"N-No, not like Master Lucien, please!" Clara blurted out and then quickly shut her mouth as if she had said something she wasn't supposed to.

"Does he really spend the night in the forest?" Theo was now curious. It seemed all his ideas were just a knockoff of others.