CHAPTER 223: 223. EYE ON THE EMPEROR’S SEAT

"This was... weird," Theo spoke after they were far enough.

Lucien looked at him and laughed while the Baron only smiled.

"Everyone says that when they meet the townspeople for the first time," Lucien spoke with a chuckle.

"But don’t be fooled, Theo. Not every town is like this. These people are just weird." The Baron spoke with a snort, but there was pride in his voice.

"Did you see who the ones were that kept shouting at Father, Theo?"

Theo thought about it for a while before he realized it, "They were old people."

"Yes, these are the people who are almost 100 years old right now, Theo. They only broke through once, so their lifespan will end in a few more years." Lucien stated, and the Baron kept quiet while the carriage moved toward the castle again.

"They have been here since the last Baron that ruled this territory, and then they have seen Father from a young age before he even got to be a Baron. That’s why they are like that, and Father lets them be. They have been through a lot of things together."

Theo listened to everything Lucien said and nodded before looking at the Baron.

He had read things about him before, but even now, there was a feeling that there were things kept away about him in it.

"I understand that, elder brother," Theo spoke, and Lucien nodded.

Things were quiet for a few seconds before Theo hesitantly asked something that he may not have.

"Father, you are level 16... by... how much has your lifespan increased?" Theo asked, and Lucien reacted right away with a frown.

He was going to retort when the Baron kept a hand on his arm to stop him. The Baron’s glance didn’t leave Theo’s, and Theo started regretting his decision to ask something like this.

"Hm... how much will it be, Alfred? I haven’t quite thought about it before."

The head butler thought about it for a few seconds before he spoke up.

"If leaving some unfortunate things aside related to wars and politics, you should live up to 250 years naturally, master." The head butler spoke, and Theo’s jaw dropped in dumbfoundedness.

Even Lucien was surprised, as if this was new information.

"There you have it, I got a lot of time and I am planning to live it leisurely after putting it all on you. Are you okay with that, my children?" The Baron asked with a grin.

"Yes," Lucien spoke right away in confidence, but Theo didn’t when he should have.

Everyone looked at him while he thought about it deeply.

"That’s a bad habit you should get rid of, you can’t think much, nobody outside the family will wait." The Baron spoke and yawned.

"Uh... Yes. I am willing to help you as much as I can, Father."

"Good." He spoke and closed his eyes to take a nap before reaching the castle.

Things were quiet after that, mainly because nobody wanted to wake up the Baron, though it felt impossible to do so as he was sleeping so soundly.

Theo saw the head butler glance at him a few times; he only felt it a few times but only caught him once.

At that time, the head butler just smiled and pointed at Theo’s pocket with a mild smile.

Theo looked down and almost wanted to smack his forehead.

The mantis hadn’t had anything to eat for some time now, and having had the independence to go out in the forest alone, it had the privilege to hunt and eat in the forest.

That was why its habits had become quite bad.

Right now, the mantis was chewing at the Lesser Dragon armor as if trying to get only a small piece out, even if a little.

Theo flicked it on the head once, making it look at him and then go back inside the pocket to rest.

When they returned to the castle, the Baron left right away with the head butler, while Theo and Lucien stayed behind to have a walk in the training area.

"I saw you took a long time to answer Father, Theo." He spoke, making Theo sigh in exhaustion as he had forgotten Lucien was very intuitive.

"It was nothing..."

"Do you not have an interest in the Merrick Barony head seat?" He asked the main question right away, making Theo this time answer right away.

But Theo could tell that Lucien had already caught onto the real thing.

"Honestly speaking, elder brother... I simply don’t know. I want to become very strong one day..." Theo stopped speaking to think through what he wanted to say later.

"Stronger than Father?" Lucien asked with eyes glittering and a curious smile.

Theo didn’t understand the guy one bit.

"I see Father sitting in that office all day long. Not a single day in my life have I seen Father train..."

"So you don’t want to be tied down, huh." Lucien chuckled, "That’s a deep worry to have for such a tender age, Theo."

"As for father, this world is not enough for his EXP requirement anymore; he only tries to level up in the gates now."

Theo could understand that; it made sense.

He was going to make it as a joke and move past the topic, but Lucien spoke again, this time getting his full focus.

"But if that’s what you like, you have the freedom to do so, Theo."

"Huh?"

"You’re the 9th son of this Barony, so there is not a lot of pressure on you to take over. Honestly, if you wanted to, then we would one day have to compete with each other."

Theo listened to that and soon realized what he was getting at.

"Do you want to be the head one day, elder brother?" Theo asked in curiosity, making Lucien chuckle before he went confidently serious.

"I want to one day take our family name to however high I can. I understand our father’s reasons to stay a Baron when he can be so much, but for me... I can’t watch our family so behind anymore, Theo." He said after stopping, the sun was bright on their faces.

"I want the Merricks to be the greatest family in this kingdom, no, the whole world..."

"You mean..."

"I want our family to get to the Emperor’s level one day, Theo. And I will need your help to achieve that."