Insect Tamer's Ascension-Chapter 371. Evaluation by the royals (2)- Marry them off?

Chapter 371: 371. Evaluation by the royals (2)- Marry them off?

While there was still a long way to go before they could reach the carriage, Theo wished the journey would end as soon as possible.

The more he told his mother about what had happened inside the Gate, the more her anger bubbled over. After he had finished telling her everything, his ears weren’t given a moment of rest for hours.

It was the worst he had ever seen his mother lose control, but he couldn’t blame her.

Her son had just told her he had put his life at risk just to manifest something he could have gained naturally in a few years anyway.

Soon enough, most of the blame shifted to the baron. And while the baroness tried her best not to speak anything against him, Theo could already tell the baron was in for a lot of berating once things finally settled.

They passed through five towns along the way, and the closer they got to the royal capital, the finer the roads became. Eventually, Theo noticed evenly spaced night lamps lining the streets every few meters.

The roads were coated in a smooth greyish coating, which felt like proper roads, and the forest slowly began to thin out.

Small forts appeared at intervals, each manned by a single tamer, like something out of a tower defense game. And beside every tamer in the small forts stood a demon imp-like tame, ready to hurl projectiles if necessary.

At the front of the carriage gleamed the large Merrick crest. Anyone who saw it gave immediate passage with only minor inquiry, even though the emperor had instructed them to arrive silently.

According to the baron, however, the Merricks were not meant to go anywhere silently, no matter what danger followed them.

And as if Theo was already all brainwashed, he found that logic completely reasonable.

During nighttime, all the lamps flickered to life, each glowing with a single fire gem within.

Hours later, they finally arrived at a town whose walls dwarfed any other town wall. Theo had ever seen.

When they reached the gate, they were finally stopped and thoroughly inspected before being given the permission to enter. After all, the Merrick barony was still only a barony, especially in a place that was overflowing with nothing but nobles.

Once they got the clearance, the carriage began moving again. Theo was stunned to realize that the wall wasn’t just impossibly tall but also unbelievably thick, so much so that despite the carriage having rolled forward for several long seconds, they were still passing through the gateway itself.

When they finally emerged inside, Theo had to take a few moments to process what he was even seeing.

Both the attendants, Clara and Elias, were also shocked as they stared out of the windows with equally bewildered looks.

It was as if the night had never fallen in the royal town.

The entire place was so illuminated, and not in a bright or harsh way that would hurt the eyes, but in a soft, warm illumination that felt fresh and inviting.

Theo saw everyone around walking in noble clothing, while the shops remained open despite the late night hours.

Even the guards that passed by wore a different type of uniform that seemed to emit an even better presence, which set them apart from the rest of the crowd.

While Theo continued to marvel at everything around them, the baron watched his son with a faint smile on his face.

The baroness, though still a little angry, couldn’t help but feel pleased upon finally seeing Theo acting his age for once.

"Fun fact about the royal town, the Crownsgate," she said, drawing Theo’s attention.

The baroness seemed eager to lighten the mood again as she continued.

"All the nobles whose families go bankrupt are allowed to come and live in the Crownsgate in exchange for whatever assets they have left," she explained.

Her words made Theo look at all the pedestrians and at those riding in small carriages that were fully open in a new light, making him see everything with a new understanding.

"That way, they can maintain their luxurious lifestyle while also trying to seek new opportunities in this sleepless town," she continued, looking out the window.

"This is the hub of our whole kingdom, so you will see many tourists all over the place. Once we reach the center of Crownsgate, you will start noticing them as well."

Theo and the attendants kept their eyes out of the window, watching the streets and everyone walking on them with curiosity.

He quickly spotted a few people who stood out from the masses. While most of them looked like they were going about their normal lives, others seemed to be in a vacation mood.

One of the women caught his attention in particular; she had beautiful light blue hair. And while Theo was surprised, no one around her seemed to find it unusual.

Theo couldn’t tell whether her hair was natural or dyed, but it matched her skin tone so well that it felt completely natural.

The deeper they went into the royal town, the more diverse the people Theo and the group saw.

Theo saw the first dark-complexioned person he had ever encountered in this world, and then some who seemed to have Asian heritage. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

He could tell just how diverse the whole town was, and that made him unexpectedly happy.

All this long, no one seemed to care about the crest displayed on the front of the carriage.

But the moment they crossed the town center, that changed.

Many curious gazes began following them.

When Theo made eye contact with a group of girls, one of them gave him a playful bow while others burst into giggles. Theo blinked in confusion.

At that moment, the baron closed the carriage windows.

"They are curious who you are, Theo," the baron said calmly.

"We are about to enter the Royal Castle soon."

"And listen to this carefully, Theo," the baroness added, her tone turning serious, which made Theo become serious as well.

"There will be many families here who will try to marry off their female heirs to you. When that happens, stay quiet. We will take care of everything."

"???"