Insect Tamer's Ascension

Elira didn't stop speaking for the next 10 minutes, and the more Theo heard, the more it felt like Bram was having a very hard time all this while.

The gist of her long report was that the twins were pestering him a lot, and he had been going around on their whims for a long time now.

"… Don't worry about it, I will try taking care of him from now on... Just tell Clara if something is bothering him from now on." Theo spoke with a frown.

His mood was so off that he closed his eyes too. Having a little sleep was a good thing when he was in such a bad mood.

Elira looked at Clara once and frowned, seeing Clara look at her icily. Yet she still nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, all Bram did was sleep soundly.

When they reached the castle, Theo and Bram bid farewell and went with their own work.

"Clara, you were a little weird today."

When they were walking back to the room, Theo finally decided to talk about today.

"… What do you mean?" Clara averted her gaze.

Theo chuckled; he knew that she knew what he was talking about.

"Did you have a problem with taking elder brother with us today?"

When Clara heard that, she quickly shook her head and defended, "N-No, I think it was a great thing that you helped your brother like this, young master. It shows compassion."

"Then was it a problem that Elira was there?" Theo asked again without looking at her.

"…"

Clara fell silent for a few seconds, which made Theo satisfied. He had made a great assumption.

"Her beasts might have been somewhat unique, but mine are as good, young master." Clara muttered softly, yet it made Theo stop and look at her with surprise.

"Wait, you were thinking something like this?" Theo asked. He felt perplexed.

"F-Forget what I said…" Clara said and averted her gaze. She was embarrassed.

Theo did not know whether he should laugh or cry.

Clara, whom he somewhat looked up to in terms of raw strength, was showing such a side of herself that he hadn't seen before.

"Clara, I don't know why you felt like that. I won't lie by saying I was not surprised by seeing those beasts, especially that eagle. But that was only because I have never seen a flying type beast except some normal ones that go all around the castle and forest." Theo stated, making Clara look at him slowly.

"The boar and the pup are the only ones that have protected me all this while with you, Clara. You should feel proud of how far you have come all by yourself. Comparison is always a bad thing, alright?" Theo said and went on his tiptoes to pat her shoulder.

Clara looked at him with surprise, but soon, she smiled heartily.

They walked silently for a while before she spoke again.

"… I don't know why I am like this with you, young master." She spoke and continued with an awkward chuckle, "You may be younger than me, but sometimes, I feel as if we are the same age."

When Theo heard that, he tried making as straight of a face as he could. Even a slight expression change would give Clara signals that should not even be in anyone's mind.

"Hmm… That might be because I am maturer than my age," Theo said thoughtfully with a hand on his chin and a cheeky smirk.

When Clara saw him, she burst out laughing, and so did he.

When they finally reached the room, Theo tidied up, and Clara went out to change and procure some food.

For the next few hours, Theo gave some ores to the mantis for lunch while he had some of the best dishes he asked for from the chef with the help of Clara.

They were the same dishes he had in the noble gathering. There was something about the seasoning in the food that made Theo slobber up with just a whiff.

When his leisure time was over and Theo thought about what to do, his mind went to the discussion he had about Bram with Elira.

Something about it had left a bad taste in his mouth. It made Theo want to have Bram live closer to him, not the twins.

When he had thought about it for a long time and it still didn't leave his mind, Theo decided to do something about it.

"Clara."

"Yes, young master?"

"We are going to my father right now."

When Clara heard that, she froze for a second before she realized what it was for.

"Sure, young master."

Theo quickly drank a glass of water and went toward his father's office in hopes that he would be there.

When he got there with Clara, he was satisfied to see the guards standing outside the room.

"May I enter?" Theo asked with politeness, making the guards look at him and shake their heads.

"Our apologies, young master Theo. But the Baron is in a meeting right now," one of the guards said with a light bow.

Theo frowned and felt curious at the same time. Who was the Baron having a meeting with?

"How long will it last for?"

The guard seemed to think for a bit before he spoke, "We don't know about that, young master. But you can wait for 10 minutes here, after that, I wouldn't recommend it…" the guard stated with a light smile.

"Thank you." Theo went to the side and sat with a sigh.

"I don't think we will be able to meet him, young master."

"We don't know that, and anyway, it is my rest day, so I have time. Here, sit." Theo said and pointed at the seat at his side.

The guards looked at him and then glanced at each other. No noble would ever want an attendant to sit beside them under normal circumstances.

But what was even more surprising was that Clara sat beside him within a second of the request.

They stayed like that for just a few minutes until the door opened completely and a stranger brisked out of it.