Insect Tamer's Ascension-Chapter 56: Meeting some nobles (1)

"This evolution affinity really played out well, huh? When you got it, my mind went to how those unique affinity tamers take years of their lives just to understand a little grain about their ability. No offense, though," Elara spoke.

They were still in the carriage, and according to Lucien, there were still around ten minutes before they would reach the destination.

"I had the same feeling, and I also think I am just scratching at the surface of my affinity for now. It will take some time to fully understand it," Theo remarked.

"Nobody FULLY understands their affinity, Theo. Even after all these years, even the most basic affinities still have new discoveries coming up every year or so. Affinities are very deep; the more you dive in, the more you will benefit," Elara explained, and Theo nodded in understanding. What she said made sense.

"Alright, that is enough talk about this, you two. We are almost at the gathering," Lucien interrupted and peered outside by opening the window for a second before closing it with a nod.

"We can talk all about this after we are done with this gathering," he continued, and Theo nodded.

He prepared his mind for the event. When he looked to the side, he saw Bram taking deep breaths.

"Don’t worry, elder brother. It will all be okay," Theo reassured him, and Bram nodded with a mild smile, still not feeling it.

"He is right, Bram. As a Merrick, you should have a heart of steel! Just think that you are going to be the best one day, and the attitude needed for it will come along the way," Lucien stated with a wild grin.

Theo saw Bram sit upright after the little ’speech.’

Everyone was silent now, and finally, the carriage came to a halt.

Theo waited for the gate to open, and when it did, his eyes widened as he saw a glimpse of a massive estate.

The castle was so big that Theo couldn’t even see it all in a few blinks.

The doors of the carriage swung open, and Lucien was the first to step out, standing tall with an air of confidence.

Elara followed right after, her movements as graceful as ever.

Theo took a deep breath and exited next, with Bram hesitantly following behind him. They had exited so quickly that Theo was almost walking with nothing in mind.

As soon as he stepped onto the brick-laid ground, his senses were overwhelmed.

The sheer size of the estate was beyond anything he had imagined.

Tall marble pillars supported the high archways leading into the main gathering hall, and banners of noble families lined the pathway, moving as the breeze passed through them.

There was a banner way bigger than the others in the middle, displaying a golden dragon-like beast wrapped around a spear, prominently above the entrance.

Theo saw them all, and that was when he saw the Merrick crest at the far left. He felt a bit weird that they were so far in comparison to the bigger banners—as expected of being a Baron.

Theo looked to the right and saw his mother and father looking toward some of the noble-dressed people near them.

There were a lot of nobles all around the gathering place outside the entrance.

Theo saw many gazes on him and the rest of his family. It seemed the struggle for dominance among the nobles had already started.

There were still many carriages coming inside the big gate of the estate’s entrance, and nobles kept coming out of their carriages.

It was as if there was no end to them.

Theo saw his father and mother return, and almost all the eyes seemed to be on them. He didn’t know if they both felt uncomfortable by it—probably not. Yet for Theo, it felt kind of rude to just keep staring at a person as long as they could.

"We will go in together after everyone arrives, especially the attendants," the Baron spoke after approaching them while his gaze was on Celeste and Gideon, who had just come out of their carriage.

Theo looked at them, and it was the first time he had seen them both so stiff and nervous. It seemed it really was their first noble gathering, just like him.

In a minute, almost all the heirs of the Merricks were together. Finally, the carriage of the attendants also came, and Theo smiled after looking at Clara approaching him.

But before that, a few footsteps came from the right, and Theo gracefully moved his face there.

There was a slender man who seemed the same age as the Baron. A big mustache curled up with majesty on his face.

There were a few other people beside him, and Theo deduced that it was the man’s family.

"Well, if it isn’t Baron Aldric Merrick himself. It’s been a long time since I have seen you," the man said as he curled his mustache with a serious face.

The Baron moved his body toward the man, and there was silence for a few seconds before a wild grin crossed his face.

"It’s been a long time, Tobias Ward," the Baron spoke as he moved his hand forward.

The mustached noble looked at him for a second before he grinned too. He moved his hand forward and grabbed the Baron’s arm while the latter did the same thing.

’That is a military handshake,’ Theo thought. Now he realized why the man was being so familiar with his father.

The handshake between the two men was firm, their grips tightening in what seemed like a silent battle of dominance.

Theo noticed the surrounding nobles observing with interest, some whispering among themselves. He studied the interaction closely. Tobias Ward. He had never heard of the individual’s name before, but the fact that his father responded so naturally meant they had some history.

The tension lasted only a moment before Tobias let out a hearty chuckle.

"I heard you’ve been keeping to yourself, Merrick. Missing all the previous gatherings—has that temper of yours mellowed out finally?" Tobias teased, his mustache twitching as he grinned.

The Baron scoffed. "Hardly. I simply don’t waste my time where I’m not needed."

Tobias burst into another laugh before he calmed himself a little, clearly pleased with the response. "Ah, you haven’t changed a bit. I almost missed this." He turned slightly, gesturing to his side. "Let me introduce my family."

A woman stepped forward—elegant in appearance. She seemed young to be the man’s wife, but Theo was no one to judge. She was draped in a dark emerald gown.

Her features were refined, exuding the grace expected of noblewomen. Yet in Theo’s eyes, it was nothing compared to his mother.

"My wife, Evelyn Ward," Tobias gestured to her with pride.

The lady gave a small nod, her piercing gaze sweeping over everyone equally before it returned to the Baroness. A light smile formed on her face as she saw her.

There was a second’s wait before the man spoke again. Theo noticed the two other people beside them; they seemed to be his heirs.

"This is my eldest son, Julius Ward, and my youngest, Reina Ward."

The boy stepped forward and gave a deep bow to the Baron and the Baroness. He didn’t speak, which was interesting. According to the old lady and the nobility etiquette, it was necessary to introduce oneself.

But Theo decided to play along, he decided to only speak if his eldest also spoke.

The boy seemed no older than 18 years old, while the girl who stepped forward and did the same seemed a bit younger.

They both were wearing very good clothes and had some fine features.

Yet Theo was not that impressed. For some time now, he had only seen handsome men and beautiful women in this world. There had been no one average until now.

Both the heirs stepped back, making Theo realize it was their turn.

’Will this happen the whole gathering?’ Theo thought with an inner frown. It was going to be one boring day.

The Baron gave a curt nod of acknowledgment before speaking, his voice steady yet authoritative.

"This is my wife, Seraphina Merrick," he gestured toward the Baroness, who met everyone’s gaze with a composed smile. Find exclusive stories on novelbuddy

"And these are my heirs," the Baron continued, motioning toward his children. "Lucien, Elara, Cedric, Isolde, Rowena, Gideon, Celeste, Bram, and Theo."

Each of them gave their respective bows, with Lucien leading first, exuding confidence, followed by Elara with a measured, elegant dip. Cedric, as usual, was unreadable as he bowed with precision but no warmth. Isolde and Rowena were good. The twins were stiff, clearly trying to recall their etiquette lessons.

Bram hesitated slightly but managed a polite nod, while Theo followed suit, his bow flawless from practice.

Tobias Ward’s gaze flickered over each one, pausing for a brief moment on Cedric before finally landing on Theo.

"So, this is the youngest Merrick," Tobias mused, his eyes sharp with intrigue. Theo didn’t know how the man had deduced that. If only he knew how little he looked in front of everyone.

He met the man’s gaze head-on, keeping a soft smile on his face. He could feel the weight of the nobles’ attention pressing down on him, and he could see curiosity in their eyes.

"I have heard much about you," Tobias continued. "A unique affinity, they say. Already level two at such a young age, huh?" He commented again, and a smile passed over the Baron’s face as if he were proud.

Theo’s jaw tightened slightly. He wasn’t sure if it was a genuine remark or a veiled attempt to extract more information. Either way, he knew better than to give anything away.

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But he knew that the things he had prepared for had already started the second he met someone new.

"I do my best to uphold the Merrick name," Theo replied smoothly, his tone respectful.

Tobias chuckled at the diplomatic response. "Ah, a well-trained tongue. You’ll do just fine in this world, boy."

Theo already knew he was in for a ride at this gathering.