Insect Tamer's Ascension-Chapter 64: Cedric’s curiosity

Theo could tell that the mantis was looking at the table very intently, but he didn’t expect this.

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The mantis had hopped from his shoulder, and that was the last thing Theo saw before it became a blur—he couldn’t see it anymore.

Almost everyone noticed this, as the mantis was the star of the dinner, with everyone looking at it with intensity.

Only a few individuals in that room could keep up with the mantis’s movements.

The next time Theo saw the mantis, it was at the top of a plate filled with a big piece of meat with a lot of gravy.

Both its forelegs went up and smashed on the piece of food before it got a chunk of it stuck on its forelegs. Finally, while it was eating leisurely, everyone looked with dumbstruck gazes.

"Eeeekkk…" Celeste made a disgusted face upon seeing a bug on the plate of food on the table. For some reason, it irked Theo. There was nothing disgusting about the mantis in his eyes.

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"That was fast…" Cedric muttered, his gaze fixed on the moss-covered mantis.

While people were surprised that Cedric was taking this much interest in a measly insect, they all nodded as his was not the only unusual reaction.

"That was very fast. So this is the mantis I kept hearing so much about," Elara spoke as she placed her head on the arm she had laid on the table. "I must say, it is a rather unique-looking insect."

Theo nodded with pride. At least someone could see the majesty of the creature in front of them.

"…You need to control your beast properly, Theo." Suddenly, the Baron spoke with a frown.

’Mantis, quickly come back.’ Theo quickly gave a mental command, making the mantis look toward him.

For a second, it looked at the food again and then back at Theo. Its little legs started moving toward Theo with what he could interpret as a dejected stroll.

"Good," the Baron said again with a nod, making Theo sigh in relief.

The mantis quickly hopped up onto Theo’s shoulder and licked its forelegs, still covered in gravy.

"Cool…" Bram stated with sparkling eyes, his gaze fixed on the mantis, aloofly eating the gravy off its body as if no one was looking at it at all.

"This is my Moss Carapace Mantis. It’s a species of mantis that I don’t think exists in the whole world, or at least it has not been found and recorded in history yet," Theo stated, taking everyone’s attention.

"It was just an Iron Mantis, an ordinary-grade level 1 insect a few days ago. But with the help of my affinity, I was able to change it, which I term as ’evolve.’ This helped it become stronger and gain new abilities. And as you can see, the Moss Carapace Mantis is now common grade, not ordinary, and level 3 as well," Theo explained in detail.

"How did you make it… evolve?" Cedric asked from the side. It was the first time he had made eye contact this long with Theo.

Theo became more confident and stated, "When it was just an Iron Mantis, it defeated a Moss Slime with its own wits. It was after that that I suddenly got a revelation that completing certain requirements could help it become the Moss Carapace Mantis. And as you can see, I was successful in completing those requirements."

There was a silence in the room for a few seconds, and everyone looked at Theo in awe. Things this complicated had been going on, and they had no idea at all—especially the Baroness.

"What were the requirements?" Cedric asked another question bluntly.

"That is enough questioning for now, Cedric." Soon, the Baron spoke, and Cedric looked at him with seriousness before nodding and stopping.

"What I have gathered you all here for today is to inform you that Theo has started his journey as a tamer with a rather different approach. I want you all to respect it," he muttered, and everyone instinctively nodded.

"Also, the fact that Theo has tamed an insect should not leave this room. The only ones who know about it are the ones present here... and if it ever gets out without my permission, there will be hefty consequences for both family and workers."

The Baron stated while looking at everyone once, even the attendants, who shivered under his gaze, and the head butler, who simply bowed respectfully.

Every single heir in that room nodded and turned their gaze to Theo again, who only gave small smiles.

"Can we question him again now, Father? We have understood your point and will not let this information out of this room," Cedric muttered in a serious tone.

The others looked at his act—so out of character—with confusion.

The Baron sighed and looked at Cedric. "You can start asking your questions again now. The meeting will be over when our dinner is completed."

Cedric nodded and moved his face toward Theo. His gaze was sharp, as if he was angry about something, and as if an interrogation was about to take place.

"Can you tell me what the requirements were, Theo?" he asked.

"It was simply to let it eat some Moss Slime cores and make it fight creatures higher than its level. Completing those requirements made it evolve into its current form, elder brother," Theo mentioned but left out the part where he had received specific instructions through the mantis’s system.

He still had to make sure if that was a normal occurrence for some affinities or not.

Clara seemed to notice that but feigned ignorance.

"I see… then can you do this… evolution on other’s beasts too?" Cedric asked, making Theo feel nostalgic.

"Pft…" Lucien almost burst out laughing, which made Cedric frown at him.

"Unfortunately, I am not at a level of progression in my affinity to do something like that. But I don’t know about the future, elder brother, maybe I can one day," Theo muttered. His eyes went toward Lucien and Elara, who just laughed and gave a thumbs-up respectively.

Even the baron couldn’t help but smile a little after his last comment yet unfortunately, Theo didn’t notice.

Theo saw Cedric’s eyes flash with some emotions for a second at his comment before he became normal again.

"I will look forward to that day… little brother."