Insect Tamer's Ascension

He defeated yet another boar after this one, and then for the next one, Theo was finally bruised by a boar's side head bash.

It pained a lot, but it was all on the exterior. Yet to be safer, Clara rubbed some anti-infection medicine just to be sure.

After that, Theo finally went back to his castle again.

The last two boars that he killed were taken by Clara to process further and get a profit out of them.

The first was still being eaten by the mantis leisurely.

Theo knew the mantis liked staying on big chunks of food just like this one, and he knew that it wasn't going to budge at least for a few hours.

So, to have a balanced diet, he threw in some big leafy greens that the mantis liked. It was right now in the room where Bram and Theo trained together.

When Bram came and saw the mantis eating a carcass, he only smiled and went on with his training as if it was not the first time he had seen this happen.

Theo practiced his footwork after knowing what he had done wrong—multiple times, either under pressure or just due to missteps.

So with a goal to fix them, Theo decided to focus on that. The only things left in his routine were to either train himself or the mantis; there was nothing else.

Time passed normally with this routine. The case on Rhys was still going on, but after getting to know that it wouldn't go away until the Baron came back, Theo felt a little bad for Rhys.

The case soon entered the castle's paperwork—it was just another tantrum by nobles that awaited the Baron's return.

*****

"Many, many congratulations for your 9th birthday, Theo!" a girl shouted before she hugged Theo, who just chuckled in happiness.

He was in a room filled with decorations—the kind that showed someone had truly gone out of their way to make it special.

There were colorful streamers hanging from the arched ceiling of the dining hall, swaying gently in the breeze drifting in through the open windows.

Golden-embroidered banners hung across the far wall, with a large 'Happy Birthday' written in curling letters at the center.

A long, familiar table stood in the middle—the same one where Theo and his family always dined. Though today, it was dressed in a pristine white cloth.

But more than that, there were dishes all over the table that were Theo's favorites.

From the pastries to savory meals that covered almost all kinds of dishes, Theo found everything he liked in one place, making the birthday feel even more special.

The usual head chef, who always made noble-style dishes Theo had developed a taste for during gatherings, stood near the table with a smile on his face.

Today, everything in that room was for Theo.

Since the day he first killed a boar, four more months had passed. A new year had already dawned, and now, in the second month, it was Theo's birthday.

Theo quickly made his way toward the table, where the others were waiting for him.

"Happy birthday, Theo," Elara said with a warm yet dazzling smile.

The Baroness came forward too, and Theo looked at her with a smile.

"You're growing so fast," she said as she gently placed a hand on his cheek. She got emotional very quickly but steadied herself when Theo held her hand.

"I'm only 9 years old, Mother," Theo replied with a laugh. "So not growing as fast as I want to."

The Baroness only shook her head with a smile. That was the most Theo-like response ever, making everyone chuckle too.

All of his family was there—Elara, Rowena, Gideon, Celeste, and Bram—except the ones who were still inside the gate.

Only three more months were left before Theo would be able to see them again. Not thinking anything negative, he always reminded himself that they were the strongest people he knew—and everything would be alright.

"Happy birthday, little brother. M-May this year bring you all the strength and uh... fortune that you wish for." Bram spoke while thinking in between, everyone's heart melted right away, making many lose their attention from Theo and onto Bram now.

Theo knew Bram had rehearsed this line many times for him and he couldn't have been happier.

"Thank you, elder brother Bram," Theo replied with a smile before he moved his arm forward. Bram just giggled and smacked his arm too.

The Baroness looked at the interaction and felt a sensation in her heart that couldn't be expressed through words. Looking at the two siblings have such a good relation could make any mother feel blessed.

Soon, they all sat down after hugging him once. Celeste was a lot more excited for Theo's birthday. In the past six months, though her antics were the same, there were still slight improvements.

They all had the best time as a family since the last birthday, which was of Gideon.

Even the attendants were seated at another table with the same food, making it the best day of their life. The other heirs were not in the habit of sharing their food like Theo. So most of them were eating this kind of food for the first time.

After an hour of just chatting and eating, the plates started to empty out and everyone was full.

"It's time for your presents," the Baroness spoke and nodded at a butler on the side who went on the move.

Theo was not really excited about the gifts because he knew the heirs only gave them for the sake of it, and the Baroness only tried giving fun things to the young ones.

Yet when the attendant came back and Theo saw the silhouette of the gift, his eyes flashed in a little excitement.

The Baroness looked at him and smiled at his expression.

"That is definitely a book, right?" Elara spoke with a chuckle, making the others break into laughter.

The birthday was finally getting exciting now.

And since it was the last day before he was going to defeat a level 7 beast, Theo decided to make the most of it.