Insect Tamer's Ascension Chapter 477. Selling bigger insects to a noble merchant (1)

"Calm yourself," Theo commanded, his voice resonating with authority.

The mantis instantly ceased its grating screeches that had been disturbing the elder, turning its attention towards Theo instead.

He gently placed a hand upon the creature's head, eliciting a few softer chirps from it.

Vaelmont's eyes remained fixed on the mantis, scrutinizing it from every angle for a drawn-out moment.

"A most unappealing creature to behold," he commented.

Theo's brow furrowed at this observation.

"I would appreciate it if you did not say that," he replied, his displeasure evident on his face.

Vaelmont's gaze flickered towards Theo's expression, followed by a slight cough. The butler beside him maintained a composed demeanor, though his attention was also drawn to the mantis.

"So this is the legendary insect I've heard whispers of... It hardly resembles an insect," the old man continued without offering an apology, causing a headache to brew within Theo.

The complexities of noble society were tiresome. Regardless of one's strength, even if faced with someone of higher status but lesser power, adherence to proper etiquette and formal responses was still expected.

"Where did you acquire it?" Vaelmont inquired, his eyes intensely focused on Theo's.

Lucien shifted his gaze between Theo and the mantis, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. He was uncertain of what his brother might say, and the situation felt poised to escalate negatively. Before he could step in to assist Theo—

Theo had already begun to respond.

"That, my lord, is a trade secret. I trust you understand, as a distinguished merchant yourself," Theo answered.

A subtle shift in his tone, a touch more somber than before, was immediately recognized by the elder.

A heavy silence descended, the tension in the air palpable for a considerable duration until the old man finally let out a sigh.

"It appears we have commenced on an unfortunate note," he stated, still sighing before his gaze met Theo's once more.

"My apologies for describing your companion as 'unappealing'."

For reasons unknown to Theo, he sensed that the man had intentionally re-emphasized the word, perhaps to irk him.

Nevertheless, an apology from a former count was not something to be easily disregarded.

"Pray do not trouble yourself with it. I hold no ill will over a single remark, my lord," Theo responded, then added.

"However, regardless of that, I still cannot disclose the origin of this beast. It remains a closely guarded trade secret."

The count regarded Theo, his expression inscrutable.

Their determined gazes locked for a few moments before the man spoke again.

"Very well. Name your price."

"Pardon?" Theo had heard him clearly, yet he could not resist asking for confirmation.

"I said, 'Name your price for the information'."

Another prolonged silence ensued. Theo leaned back against the sofa, crossing his legs.

"...There is no price for this knowledge, my lord. I have no intention of selling it," Theo declared, prompting the old man to click his tongue.

"But—"

Before the man could elaborate further, Theo seized the opportunity to guide the conversation as per his strategy.

The old man's ears twitched upon hearing the interjection and he gave a slight nod, indicating his renewed interest.

"Have you ever encountered a beetle? An insect, perhaps observed in a forest or another natural setting?" Theo inquired with a smile.

The old man closed his eyes, contemplating the question.

The room enveloped in quietude as the conversation paused, Theo granting him the space to recall.

"...I believe I might have seen some in my youth... small insects found near trees where sap would ooze... Is that what you refer to?" he asked.

Theo could not help but feel a surge of surprise. It was improbable that the man could be so specific about something he recalled only as a distant memory. A flicker of suspicion crossed his mind, but it held no consequence. The crucial point was that the man possessed the knowledge.

"That is indeed a beetle." Theo nodded. "A beetle is known for its exceptionally resilient shell, which I term an 'exoskeleton'. It is remarkably hard, often proving impenetrable even if the insect perishes in the attempt to breach it. Though, naturally, this applies only to specific species."

"However... they are far too diminutive for us to concern ourselves with such matters. Despite their hardness, their shells offer no practical use to humans, nor do they provide sufficient protein to be considered a viable food source for our beasts," Theo elaborated.

The old man listened with rapt attention. Contrary to Theo's expectation of him becoming disengaged, the man remained fully absorbed, as if eagerly absorbing every piece of information.

"But... imagine this..." Theo continued, gently tapping the mantis's head a few times to maintain its composure. "What if that beetle were to grow to the size of this creature..."

The old man's eyes widened in sudden understanding.

"A resilient carapace... on the scale of this hor—this beast," he corrected himself swiftly. "That could undoubtedly serve as a formidable defensive entity."

Theo felt a surge of wonder. Indeed, he had guided their discussion to its present point, but that the old man had followed so keenly throughout and grasped his intended conclusion so swiftly was truly remarkable.

'He's easily among the top two or three people who have ever listened so intently about beasts,' Theo mused, and he was quite serious.

He recalled an instance when he attempted to explain a similar concept to his father, only for the man to dismiss it by saying they were still insects regardless. However, that was the baron he had been conversing with, and to him, everything appeared like mere insects.

"You are correct, my lord. Such a creature would indeed be exceptionally valuable as a defensive beast, whether for a band of adventurers or an entire army."

Theo uttered a bold word, causing even Lucien to cast a momentary glance his way.

"An army, you say..." the old man mused, his eyes narrowing. "Do you comprehend the two distinct categories of armies, boy?"

"Yes," Theo responded with a confident grin.

"One is the army we deploy to combat other humans—kingdoms, nobles, and territorial rivals."

The old man offered a soft 'hm' of assent.

"And the other is the grand army required to stand against the outer devils." Theo's smile broadened, and the man simply regarded him in quiet contemplation.

"So... which army do you refer to?" he finally inquired, causing everyone in the chamber, including Clara and Elias, to anticipate the response with profound curiosity.