"Oh, you have returned this quickly?" the baron asked when he saw Theo approaching the camp while he was eating so more of those roasted crawlers. Theo could see that he had already eaten a lot more, seeing how many were skinned at the side.
"Just ca to check on the ants, father."
"The ants? Did you feel sothing wrong with them?" the baron asked with a look that almost made Theo feel he had done sothing wrong.
"Has sothing happened while I was gone, father?"
"Err..." The baron was hesitant, but then he beca normal, as if thinking he had done nothing wrong.
"These pesky creatures started coming out of their block, so I threw a skinned crawler at them to eat." The baron spoke. "I have to say, this is the first ti I have seen the ants work like this before. Their synergy is amazing."
Theo couldn’t help but feel deja vu. "Father, didn’t you see many gigantic ants in the gate you went to?"
The baron looked at him confused. "I did. What about it?" He asked, only to realize what Theo was getting at. "I wasn’t able to observe anything like this because they died too quickly, Theo. And you can’t really look at a beast’s lifestyle when you’re there to kill it." He said while getting so food out of his teeth with a makeshift toothpick.
’There is no making sense with him.’ Theo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he nodded and went to the ant colony.
As if detecting his presence already, the ant queen ca to the exit right away, making Theo excitedly go to them.
*
*
[Evolution Potential: Detected]
[Evolution Na: Tunnel Domain Ant Queen]
[Evolution Requirents:
- Establish 3 underground nest zones (0/3)
- Consu 2 whole burrowing beasts (0/2)
- Keep Hive Mind Nexus active for 24 hours (0/24)]
[Evolution Traits:
Underground Hive Zone (Skill): Makes the underground colony an active Hive Zone for the Tunnel Domain Ant Queen. All beasts linked with the hive get a 20% boost to all base stats inside the Underground Hive Zone.
Universal Dig (Skill): All beasts linked with the hive will get an additional Universal Dig skill. The skill helps the linked creatures gain an affinity with Earth and helps them dig.]
*
*
"Oh... my god," Theo muttered silently. He didn’t care that the baron was here right now.
’This evolution is the first one that’s... actually unique. This underground Hive Zone gives a boost in stats for all the beasts linked to the hive. That ans everything.’ Theo thought. ’But... the only downside I can feel right away is that the underground Hive Zone won’t be movable... or will it? But how could a whole zone be moved?’
He thought, ’This is very good... the first big ant queen evolution too... but it feels very restrictive for so reason...’
Theo felt like he was stuck in a dilemma. He finally looked up and then back to where the baron was sitting.
When his eyes t with him, the baron smiled. "Still want to lie, or would you tell sothing this ti?" the baron asked.
"..."
The statent hit Theo right in the heart for so reason. He didn’t like the way the baron said it, as if he was sad about the previous lie he had told him.
It made Theo forget about the evolution for a mont. His mouth opened, yet closed once again.
When the baron saw that, he sighed but smiled, "Forget it. When you’re ready, then tell ."
"No, no," Theo spoke right away while shaking his head.
"Father, I don’t want to lie to you... nor do I know why I did it in the first place..." Theo spoke before he took a deep breath. His heart felt more determined and light than ever.
"I will tell you what I lied to you about before... this also feels like the right timing, and please tell if I should do it or not," Theo said. He felt very vulnerable at the mont, but there was also this feeling that now that the baron would know, he would do sothing about it.
Theo told him everything from the mont he entered the gate to the mont he got the evolution potential.
The baron listened to everything with an unreactive face, but seeing Theo finally open up, he nodded here and there.
When Theo was done, he looked at the baron with a fully relieved heart.
If he couldn’t trust this man, then there was no one he could trust in this whole world.
He was the person who jeopardized the whole safety of the family, used all the connections he could, and then personally ca with him to a gate to guarantee his safety.
And all this, just for the ninth son of the family. A person who shouldn’t get any rights but the basic noble one, just like any other family.
"You got the sa evolution thing just like your beasts... and this will make you get abilities..." Theo tried taking in as much information as he could and thinking over it.
"Spatial awareness... and this changing into a Foundation Human." The baron looked at Theo for a mont, as if contemplating whether to say it or not.
"Theo, there are records that are not shown to the public, not even to the highest noble families... but you know we delve deeper into those things," he said.
Theo nodded and eagerly waited for what he was about to say.
"One of the records Seraphine read out to years ago... I could swear I read this sa thing where their status information was written..."
"What did you read, father?" Theo asked with restlessness.
He only wanted to tell him about the evolution option he got, but it seed, like always, things weren’t as simple as he had felt them to be.
"In their status, the sa thing was written," The baron paused and spoke, "Foundation Human,"
There was silence for a whole half second before the baron spoke again.
"I think if you take this, you’ll be seen the sa as the Outer Devils by everyone."
"..."
When Theo heard that, he couldn’t help but stop caring about the evolution option or the fact that he finally co out clean to his father.
In his mind, there was one thing: that he might just not be able to take this evolution option for himself.
"But there is also one more thing I want to tell you."
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