[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-insect-tamer-s-ascension":3,"chapter-insect-tamer-s-ascension-insect-tamer-s-ascension-chapter-484":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Insect Tamer's Ascension",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},512336,771,"Chapter 480. We are a Count family now","insect-tamer-s-ascension-chapter-484",484,"\u003Cp>Theo stepped inside quickly as the doors shut behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint pressure filled the room, though not enough to make him feel restless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made him wonder whether he had grown used to it, or if the baron simply wasn’t exerting much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good morning... father?\" Theo tried, offering an awkward smile, only for the baron to respond with a \"Hmph!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just received a letter saying we got five royal contribution points!\" the baron snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theo immediately understood where the conversation was going.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, I can explain—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What will explanations do? Do you even understand what will happen now?\" the baron cut him off again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We... might ascend in ranks?\" Theo spoke with that same tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The baron’s expression turned even more grumpy. \"Not just that!\" he barked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I had an agreement with the emperor, so long as I could avoid earning points through my own achievements, none would be counted toward the family,\" he spoke, but he wasn’t done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But there was a catch! That snake bastard—\" the baron ground his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theo grew more curious since the emperor came into the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He added a contingency. If I were to get any points in my name in the future, I would be forced to accept ALL of them. Do you understand what that means???\" the baron demanded, rising from his desk and striding toward Theo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theo already had a good idea, but he stayed silent, letting the baron vent out whatever he had in mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And now!\" the baron continued, \"I got a letter from that snake bastard that I should get ready to accept my new title.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The baron ran a hand through his hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"AND GUESS WHAT?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"WE ARE A ’COUNT’ ACCORDING TO THAT SNAKE BASTARD!\" the baron shouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pressed a hand to the back of his head, clearly overwhelmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The workload, the mandatory castle renovations, the endless compulsory formal gatherings... No, I refuse to do all of that,\" the baron muttered in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time the baron finished, everything Theo had wanted to say had completely slipped his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A-Are you serious? We are Count now?\" Theo asked, a rare flicker of surprise in his eyes, something he had felt very few times in his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That guy tricked me,\" the baron muttered, scratching his forehead in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I had no idea you would make such a huge contribution that they would award you royal contribution points, Theo. And look at the guts of that guy, we wrote nothing but this!\" he spoke and went to grab a royal letter from the table and opened it in front of Theo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>--\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dear old friend,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your beloved children were able to earn some contribution points under your name. So as per our deal, you must come and accept your title as a Count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I await your arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your very good friend,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rael\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>--\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theo stared at the absurdly informal letter with so little information, then back at the baron, who was visibly fuming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet beneath that anger, Theo could sense a deeper curiosity about what had actually happened that it had led to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am sorry about this, father, but can I explain to you what happened in detail first?\" Theo asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Start with what led you both to getting such a big honour, Theo,\" the baron replied. \"Because I only sent you to gain experience, yet you clearly did something inside the gate. What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theo only needed a moment to know right away what would work best. \"I delivered samples of a core beast’s blood to the emperor. He awarded me for that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The baron stared at Theo in silence for a full minute before finally opening his mouth to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A core beast, you say...? Did I hear that correctly?\" he asked again, making Theo nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaning back, the baron let out a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Theo, Theo, Theo... what am I to do with you, my son? Why do you always have to push things to the extreme?\" he said, sounding more exhausted than angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theo scratched his forehead with a finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he saw the right moment again. \"But father, I didn’t add points to the family name knowing well that you wouldn’t like that. Elder brother Lucien used his instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why should Theo take all the blame when the actual culprit hadn’t even been scolded?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The baron looked at Theo again, then curiously frowned. \"Then how many points did you receive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Five points for each group member, father. Everyone used theirs for their family names... except brother Lucien and one other annoying guy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The baron’s eyes narrowed for a moment. \"Then what did you do with your points? Don’t tell me you discarded them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was when Theo realized just how badly he had messed up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I didn’t know rejecting them was an option. With the lack of information and knowing that you wouldn’t like it, I... used them on myself instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the baron heard that, even though he had already come to this conclusion, a heavy sigh escaped his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theo looked at the man and knew what he had done had hurt him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So with five more points, you will become a baron under a new family name, huh...? Have you at least thought of one?\" he asked with a heavy heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Father, I have not thought about starting a new family. I only accepted them under my name because I didn’t know we could refuse. From now on, I will not accept it under my name—or yours,\" Theo said firmly to show just how committed he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The baron studied him for a moment before replying, \"I don’t mind you starting your own family. I will make sure your castle or starter territory is right beside ours so that we can visit freely. I am proud of you for taking such a big step, son.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Theo felt great hearing those words, but he could already sense the ’but’ coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But... I always believed you would be the one to inherit the position of the family head. Have I not been clear enough? Do you want me to make a public statement?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1032,"2026-05-30T12:48:09.310Z","2026-06-01T04:31:15.240Z",1,"novelbin.me","73f017d80ac44b0f6a8c8e58337da212187e0be3ceb8c64bc2bc5280dc15e0ac","insect-tamer-s-ascension-chapter-485","insect-tamer-s-ascension-chapter-483",505,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Finsect-tamer-s-ascension-cover.jpg"]