Two days passed with Theo training his Iron Mantis.
It took a long ti to make the Iron Mantis understand Theo's basic commands. But once it did, Theo was able to guide it on how to fight while keeping itself safe.
The Mantis was connected to Theo's mind, and a single ntal command could make it act according to its intelligence. Once Theo realized this, he was able to achieve several minor milestones.
Together, they had killed a total of 13 grey rats, gaining the Mantis 46.8 EXP and allowing it to reach Level 2 successfully.
Even Theo reached halfway to Level 1 by the end of the second day, making him much more secretive about his progress.
They both got Free points to allocate to their stats yet Theo didn't use them for now.
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In a lavish room adorned with paintings and luxurious furniture stood two individuals.
A small boy wore an awkward smile on his face, while a girl dressed in the attire of an attendant stood before him.
"Young Master… please be direct with … Did you already form a contract with a beast?" Clara asked, her face pale from the mont she had seen Theo's status.
Theo looked at her, his smile growing more awkward by the minute. He didn't have much to say besides a simple, "Yes."
Clara's world seed to turn upside down.
"I-I don't understand. Since the ceremony, you haven't been outside the Barony. You haven't had any beasts near you aside from my tad ones… I've been near you the entire ti since the ceremony…" She stopped and contemplated more, "Unless…" Her face turned from pale to utterly shocked.
"Did you…?" she asked, her expression one of horror.
Theo didn't know what to say. He had anticipated a reaction like this but not to such an extre.
"I can explain, Clara."
"Did you ta a Grey Rat?!" she exclaid, cutting Theo off mid-sentence.
"A Grey Rat?" At this point, Theo almost wanted to laugh, but considering he had tad sothing even worse than a rat, he decided against it.
Clara's sudden interruption made Theo realize just how shocked she was.
"I didn't ta a Grey Rat, Clara."
"Then what did you ta, Young Master?" she asked in a tone that suggested she had almost given up hope.
"Well, that's hard to explain. It'll be better if I just show you," Theo said, raising a finger to indicate for Clara to give him a mont.
He went inside the terrarium room, leaving Clara dumbfounded in his room.
A few minutes later, Theo returned from the terrarium room with a shiny, gray-colored creature in his hand. Clara imdiately recognized it.
"It's that Iron Mantis I got you from the rchant!"
Clara fell to her knees, her expression one of utter despair.
"Clara, please, let explain for a mont."
"This thing is Level 2, Young Master! I gave it to you at Level 0. Just tell it leveled up from its food," she asked, desperation clear in her voice.
"Why are you reacting like this, Clara? And no, it didn't. I tad the Iron Mantis and made it fight the Grey Rats. It defeated them all within minutes and reached Level 2 in just two days."
Theo tried to make Clara understand, yet her shock seed to deepen.
"Oh god, the Barony… no… The Baron—y-your father—will behead if he finds out about this!" Clara started crying, and Theo didn't know what to do at this point.
'I didn't expect sothing like this…'
In Theo's mind, an even bigger fear began to take root. If an attendant was reacting like this, how would his family, who had to maintain their reputation, respond? Even if his family mbers were chaotic in their own ways, they still represented a Barony.
"Clara, listen to . If you don't listen right now, who else will I talk to?" Theo said, trying to get her attention. It was all an act, but having so genuine fear in his heart helped him sound sincere.
Clara looked at Theo, who was putting on a sad face. She seed to calm down a little.
"Young Master… why would you do sothing like this? Insects are the most ordinary type of beasts in the whole world. They have no power against anything… This mantis could die if I just stepped on it, Young Master…"
"The rrick family has a reputation to uphold," Clara said again without stopping, her voice trembling. "If anyone finds out the ninth son of the Baron tad an insect… it would bring sha to the entire Barony."
Before Theo could explain his reasons, she continued, "I must tell your mother about this… There's still ti. We can kill this mantis and get you sothing else. Soul damage doesn't last long, Young Master."
'What the fuck? Kill the Iron Mantis?' Theo thought, shocked.
Clara began to rise, but Theo placed his hands on her shoulders.
"You will stay right there, Clara. I am talking right now," Theo said, making Clara sit upright.
He didn't want to treat her this way, but it was the only way to make her stop—even if just for a mont—by asserting the authority of noble.
"If you tell my parents about this right now, they won't understand, and things could backfire on you too," he stated, making Clara's eyes widen.
Theo's gaze softened. "But I don't want that, Clara. This was my decision, and I won't be able to forgive myself if sothing happens to you because of . You're like a big sister to ," he said.
Clara didn't know how to respond, but hearing Theo's words cald her slightly, though worry was still visible on her face.
"And out of everyone, you're the only one who truly knows . You know I wouldn't make a mistake like this, even though I'm considered a child, Clara," Theo continued.
"T-Then why, Young Master…?" Clara asked, her voice trembling.
"It's related to my affinity. You'll see soon enough, Clara. The Iron Mantis isn't ordinary—it's a step toward proving what my affinity can really do. I need so ti before I can show this to the other." Theo stated firmly.
It was about ti he opened up to soone about his situation, but even before that, he needed to earn their full trust in him and his abilities.
'It's ti for so speedrun,' Theo thought.
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