Every person in the room turned toward the entrance, straightening their backs. The sleepy ones, the grumpy ones—everyone became alert.
Theo did as well, looking toward the gate with proper etiquette.
A man clad in golden armor entered the room, his robe trailing behind him. His pace was unhurried, yet each step seemed to send a shiver down everyone's spine.
It wasn't fear that made Theo and the others tense but rather the sheer presence his father exuded by simply walking.
He was none other than the Baron, the most powerful person in the castle.
The Baron advanced slowly until he reached the chair at the head of the table. Only once seated did he finally glance at his wife and then at the others.
When his gaze landed on Theo, it lingered a moment longer before moving on.
"Good morning, my children," the Duke said in a deep voice. Calm and mature, his voice still carried a formidable weight.
Theo noticed his father shift his gaze toward Lucien, inspecting his attire.
Within seconds of that silent scrutiny, Lucien began to sweat.
"Have you just returned from the forest, Lucien?" the Duke asked, looking him directly in the eye.
"Yes, Father. This training session was fruitful. I've brought some souvenirs for you and Mother. They will be delivered soon," Lucien replied, meeting his father's gaze.
"There was no need for that, my child. Just knowing you are safe and strong is enough for this old man." For the first time, a smile appeared on the Duke's face.
The tension in the room eased slightly at the sight of his smile.
The Duke's smile faded as quickly as it had come, like a shadow slipping away. Yet, for those in the room, that small change was enough. The tension eased just a little, though everyone remained straight-backed, alert, and respectful.
"Good," the Duke said, his voice low and steady but still powerful. "Training in the forest is valuable, Lucien. But remember, sleeping and taking care of yourself is an important as getting strong." He let the phrase hang.
Lucien nodded, the usual spark in his eyes dimming as he listened.
"Theo," the Baron said with that same calm. Theo looked toward him.
"Yes, Father?"
"Your awakening ceremony is only a week away. I hear you frequent the royal library several times a day," the Baron said with an unwavering expression.
'Oh, no,' Theo thought, sensing he was about to be scolded again.
"Your personality is unlike that of any other Merrick. Studying and reading books is... challenging," the Baron's voice trailed off, a trace of nostalgic paleness in his tone.
"Pft…"
At this, the Baroness burst out laughing, and soon the rest of the children joined in.
"Hahaha! I don't know how the dining hall was so serious till now!" Cedric roared, laughing heartily.
Lucien's earlier look of disappointment also faded, and he joined in the laughter.
The older siblings enjoyed the moment, while the younger ones struggled to understand the joke.
Theo chuckled too; this was the usual atmosphere in the castle. It was also why the Merricks remained barons and hadn't risen above their rank. They were a Baron family but still acted like barbarians.
"Ah, bring me some booze! I've had a long night!" the Baron called out with a broad grin, flashing his teeth.
"Not in the morning, honey." the Baroness protested, though it was too late—the attendant was already at hand with a bottle, as if it were a regular occurrence.
The Baron snatched the bottle before it could reach the table, using his teeth to uncork it.
With large gulps, he downed the alcohol as though it was mere water.
"Haaa… Home is the best. Alright, brats! Tell me what you all did this week while I was away!" the Baron shouted as he started devouring his food.
"I've been venturing into the middle forest to level-up my new Fire Bear," Lucien announced with a wide grin before diving back into his food with gusto.
"I'm preparing my Iron Boar for the 'Young Miss of the Month' tournament, Father. I'll defeat them all again," Elara said, her calm demeanor momentarily shifting to that of a noble brat.
"Good, good! Make me proud. And what about you, Isolde? Any new deals?" The Baron's face held a playful smile, almost teasing.
"Haha, you think I'll fail every time, Father? I got fifty demon toad eggs for a thousand gold coins this time!" Isolde, the sweet 19-year-old, said with a smug expression.
"Fifty demon toads for a thousand? Who was foolish enough to make that deal?" the Baron asked, his mouth hanging open in surprise.
"Hahaha! A new trainee merchant representing his family. A bit of negotiation, and the amateur agreed!" Isolde replied, covering her mouth with a hand in amusement.
"Hahahaha—! Finally, that merchant license is paying off! Announce this on the training field, Alfred. The fifty best-performing knights will receive a demon toad egg this month."
"Right away, my lord," replied the man standing to the Baron's right.
Theo wasn't even surprised by the butler's sudden appearance; Alfred was a master at blending into the background.
"Cedric, what about you?" the Baron asked, a note of pride in his voice before Cedric even responded.
"I hunted a Cinder Wolf without any tamed beasts, Father. I also received an offer from the Knight's Academy, though I assume you already knew," Cedric said with a small smile, his looks felt like he was looking for some praise.
"Of course, I knew. You're the first prospective knight in our family since me."
Everyone looked at Cedric with a touch of envy; he held a special place in their father's heart for choosing the sword over-relying on tamed beasts, which to him were merely pets.
"I finally tamed the Thunderhoof Ox cub you gave me, Father," a girl near the Baroness said with an innocent smile. She looked about thirteen, one of the younger siblings like Theo.
"Well done, Rowena! Make sure to level it up to 2 by the week's end, alright?" the Baron said with a small smile, his interest in the younger children waning slightly.
"I will! Just leave it to me!"
"Gideon and Celeste, how's your progress?" the Baron asked. Only three children remained.
"The beasts you gave us are too aggressive, Father! I want a different one," protested Gideon, a nine-year-old.
"I can manage it, Father, just change his," Celeste added from the side.
"You cheater! It was your idea!" Gideon shouted as though betrayed by her own sister.
Gideon and Celeste were the only twins among the Merricks, they were the most troublesome too.
"You brats, those are the best and the least aggressive beasts I've found suited to your affinities! I want you to tame them by next week, understood?" The Baron's scolding didn't interrupt his meal.
"But…"
"DO IT," the Baron said with a frown, and the twins nodded. Aloof as he was, he was still the baron of a vast territory. His word was law, and they all knew it.
"And Theo, you have my permission to stay in the royal library all day until your awakening ceremony. I'll inform the librarian." The Baron said suddenly, Theo stopped chewing his food as though he was stuck by lightning, his eyes widened and a sudden smile formed on his face.
"Thank you, Father!" He got up in excitement and hastily gulped down his remaining food without any chewing.
Everyone watched, dumbfounded—even the Baron was taken aback.
"Ahem, I've finished my breakfast, Mother and Father. May I be excused?" Theo asked while dabbing his mouth with a handkerchief with calmness.
"…You may go," the Baron replied, and Theo bolted out of the room the very second.
"You were mistaken, honey. He's more of a Merrick than any of your children," the Baroness said with a chuckle.
Everyone nodded in agreement; like the rest of them, Theo was also an odd one.