Insect Tamer's Ascension-Chapter 83: Bram’s proposal

After the talk at the time of breakfast, Theo told Clara about the thing that the silkworm in his terrarium could do.

Clara seemed repulsed by the fact that she had to be near an insect like that, yet even that seemed to pass when she realized how good of an opportunity this was.

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Theo left the topic for the time being but researched the makings of silk. There was still a lot of time before Clara would leave.

His's days went the same for some time; his training was the same as before. His knives now directly hit the targets, but there was still the issue of how well they hit.

While Theo's body was sore from intense training on a regular basis, he could feel some of the changes already.

His stamina had increased from before he started, and that was what helped him take even more laps.

The mantis's skill was also increasing at a steady pace of 4% every day. It was maddening how slow it had become, yet after talking to Clara, Theo felt like this was still good enough.

The boar's skill, which was at level 4, only improved in situations that truly pushed its limit. If it was just training, then gaining a measly fraction of a single point was the only outcome.

It was only a day before Lucien was finally going to be out of room arrest that some of Theo's routine changed.

"So he wants to have tea in the evening?" Theo asked as he sat on his bed and stretched his body, as if the half of the day that had passed had been too tiring.

"Yes, will you accept, young master?"

Theo thought about it a little. Having some tea with Bram, his one-year-older brother, was not a bad idea, but there was nothing particularly good in it either.

But when he thought about how Bram might be in need of something, Theo quickly accepted, making Clara write a note of her own.

In just an hour, the meeting was fixed, and it was decided that they would meet in Bram's room.

Theo trained lightly to avoid getting exhausted; he mostly trained the mantis.

Just a day or two ago, when Theo had looked at the mantis in the morning, he couldn't help but think that it had grown in size. After keeping it on the palm of his hand, Theo confirmed it: the mantis had indeed grown bigger, just as the partial evolution had stated.

It felt like an achievement. The mantis was still a considerably small size, but watching it grow withouy molting was a dream.

Theo still didn't have an idea as to what had changed in its lifespan since the evolution, yet he was not willing to find out through experience. His first goal, to quickly reach the breakthrough of level 5 from the past, had only doubled in intensity.

Now, not only was the lifespan of the mantis at stake, but also whether he would be able to enter the gate or not.

Even Theo knew that going to the gate would be the most difficult thing, and if he was going to surpass the tamers who had years of experience behind them, it would take a lot out of him.

Thus, the training for the next three months was also going to be intense and tough.

Finally, in the evening, Theo made his way to Bram's room. Initially, they had decided to meet in Theo's room, but because he had too much stuff he didn't want to show, Theo changed the meeting place to Bram's room.

He made his way through the corridors and finally reached a door as same as his room's.

Clara knocked on his behalf, and the door opened almost instantly.

"T-Theo!" Bram exclaimed from the table he was sitting at. He quickly got up and briskly walked toward Theo.

"It's good meeting you again, elder brother."

When Theo and Clara looked at Bram for the first time, it was as if all their exhaustion was mostly gone.

Bram's energy was infectious. His bright smile and enthusiastic demeanor made Theo feel a surge of warmth, despite the exhaustion from his training.

Bram's room was cozy, filled with books, trinkets, and a small collection of plants that gave it a lively atmosphere. Theo saw that the tea set on the table was already ready.

When Theo looked at those plants, he felt like putting some in his room to have such a cozy atmosphere.

"Come in, come in! Don't just stand there!" Bram gestured excitedly, pulling Theo inside. Clara followed quietly, her eyes scanning the room with curiosity.

Theo was surprised to see how lively Bram was today, unlike the nervous demeanor he knew about.

He sat down at the table, and Bram immediately went to the kettle and poured him a cup of tea. The aroma was soothing, making Theo feel elated just by the fragrance.

"It's been a while since we've had tea together, hasn't it?" Bram said, his voice tinged with nostalgia.

"It's been a week or more, elder brother. Tell me, how have you been?" Theo asked as he took a sip of the tea. It really was good. He looked toward Clara, who nodded after understanding what he wanted to say.

"I've been hearing a lot about you lately, Theo. The whole castle is buzzing with how hard you've been training."

Theo chuckled, "It's nothing special, elder brother. Just trying to keep up with everyone else."

"I've been watching you almost every day for this whole week. Each day, your training has something new. It makes me excited as to what you will do the next day," Bram spoke. Theo knew that he might have been visible from the corridors. Clara had told him some of these things already.

"You're running laps and even working on your physical skills. That's dedication. And honestly… it's inspiring." Bram spoke while fidgeting with his hands. He looked toward his attendant once, who nodded at him. Bram's confidence came back again, and his eyes showed determination.

Theo blinked, surprised by Bram's words. "Me and... Inspiring?"

"Yes, you!" Bram laughed, his eyes sparkling.

"I wanted to tell you something, Theo." He muttered again, "To be honest, I've been stuck in my own little world, staying in my room and always playing with the elder brothers and sisters. But seeing you push yourself so hard… it made me realize I've been too easygoing... But now, after seeing you? I want to do more. I want to be better."

Theo took another sip and looked at Bram with curiosity. The change he saw was good, but he didn't think it was okay for a 9-year-old to get inspired by his ways; he was different.

He set his cup down, intrigued. "What do you mean, elder brother?"

Bram took a deep breath, his expression turning serious. "If you don't mind… I want to join your training sessions, Theo. I know I'm not as strong as you or anyone else, but I want to improve. I want to contribute more to our family, not just sit around and let others do the hard work."

Theo was taken aback. Bram had always been more of a hidden intellectual than a fighter, preferring to stay in his room over physical training. But the determination in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Are you sure, elder brother? Training isn't easy. It's exhausting, and it takes a lot of time and effort," Theo said cautiously.

Bram nodded firmly. "I know it won't be easy, but I'm ready. I've been thinking about this for a while now. I don't want to be left behind, Theo. I want to stand alongside you and the others, not just watch from the sidelines."

Theo exchanged a glance with Clara, who gave a small nod of approval. If Bram was serious, then this could be a good opportunity for both of them. Training together might even make the process less grueling.

"Alright, elder brother," Theo said with a smile. "If you're serious, then I'd be happy to have you join me. But don't expect me to go easy while training just so you can keep up." Theo stated teasingly.

Bram, who had been awkwardly silent, suddenly became happy, his excitement showing directly on his face. "I wouldn't want it any other way, Theo! When do we start?" he asked with excited eyes.

Theo saw his attendant wipe away a trickle of tears that came from her eyes. His eyes warmed; it was not only his attendant who showed such affection. Even Bram had one of them.

The attendants were people who stayed with them for as long as the heirs could remember. For Theo, it was from four years ago, but still, his bond with her felt unchangeable.

To be with someone twenty-four hours a day and to know that the person might leave him anytime soon, Theo still felt like he should do something. But at the same time, wishing the best for the loved one was more important.

Theo was done with this meeting; he wanted to leave now, so he stated, "Tomorrow morning," Theo continued, "We'll meet at the training track. Be ready, elder brother, because it's going to be tough.