The Invincible Young Master

A few days had passed since the incident that had led to Spark's house arrest. Restricted to the mansion, he found himself with little to do but read or watch Alice train in the garden.

Spark sat in the gazebo, his gaze fixed on Alice, who was darting around the circular pathways of the garden, her golden twin tails bouncing with each energetic stride.

Alice sprinted with all the determination her small body could muster. Her tiny feet pounded against the earth, kicking up little puffs of dust as she ran. Her face bore a look of intense concentration.

She was on her stamina training routine. Spark couldn't help but smile, albeit wryly, as he watched her.

"What did I even do to deserve this?" he muttered under his breath, shaking his head in mild disbelief. "Here I am, watching over Alice like a hawk. How the mighty have fallen."

Alice, blissfully unaware of her father's musings, continued her laps. Spark chuckled softly to himself. "At least one of us is making good use of this time."

Suddenly, Alice finished a lap and skidded to a stop in front of the gazebo, her breath coming in quick, short gasps.

"Father!" she called out, her voice brimming with excitement. "Did you see that? Alice ran super-fast!"

Spark nodded, his eyes warm as he regarded her.

"I did, Alice. You're doing great."

Alice's face lit up with a beaming smile, and she puffed out her little chest with pride.

"Father, just you wait! Alice will be strong enough to protect you soon!" she declared, her voice filled with innocent determination.

Spark's lips twitched with amusement at her words. "Ok, I'll rely on Alice."

With that, Alice went for another few laps.

As Spark leaned back, his gaze wandered to Pooella, the nanny Alice's mother had sent to care for her.

Pooella stood just outside the gazebo, her arms in a subservient stance, as she watched Alice with an expression of cool detachment. Although she was undeniably a caring and protective nanny, her stern demeanor had made her a constant thorn in Spark's side since the day she arrived.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he recalled the countless times she had caught him in the act of teaching Alice something she deemed "inappropriate." Whether it was a harmless bit of tomfoolery or a lesson in more mischievous tricks, Pooella was always there to catch him red-handed and report back to his mother, Sophia.

"Pooella, the bane of my existence," Spark muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched her. "Who knew a nanny could wield such power? One wrong move, and she's off to report me to Mother."

His thoughts drifted to the last incident, a memory that still made him scowl. He had shown Alice a simple trick to fend off bullies—a well-aimed kick to the groin.

Pooella, with her ever-watchful eyes, had appeared out of nowhere, her expression one of severe disapproval.

She ran straight to his Mother, telling her he was teaching Alice something 'inappropriate' for a child her age. The next thing he knew, he was getting an earful about responsible parenting from his mother.

Despite his complaints, Spark couldn't deny that Pooella was excellent at her job. Alice was healthy, happy, and well-cared for. And even if Pooella did report his every move to Sophia, she did so out of genuine concern for Alice's well-being.

"Why did her mother send her to me?" Spark wondered aloud, his gaze drifting back to Alice, who was now practicing her footwork with serious concentration.

He had tried asking Pooella many times, but she always responded with the same cryptic answer. "I don't know, I'm only her nanny."

Sighing, Spark leaned back on the comfortable cushions of the gazebo, his thoughts a mixture of amusement and irritation. The days under house arrest stretched before him, dull and uneventful.

As he pondered how to pass another day, his eyes darted between Alice, still sprinting around the garden, and Pooella. A sly grin crept across his face.

"Pooella," Spark called out, his voice smooth and controlled.

Pooella turned to him, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. "Yes, Master Spark? Is there something you need?"

Spark forced a smile, keeping his tone light. "Actually, yes. Mother was looking for you. She asked me to tell you to meet her in the main hall."

Pooella raised an eyebrow, her suspicion deepening. "Lady Sophia asked for me?"

"Yes," Spark replied smoothly, his tone convincing. "She mentioned something about wanting to discuss Alice's training regimen with you. I'm sure it's important."

Pooella hesitated, her eyes flicking between Spark and Alice. Her stern expression softened ever so slightly as she weighed his words. Eventually, she nodded.

"Very well. I'll go see what Lady Sophia needs," she said, casting one last glance at Alice before turning to leave, her posture as rigid as ever.

As soon as Pooella was out of sight, Spark let out a sigh of relief, his smirk returning with a hint of mischief.

"Finally, some peace," he muttered, his gaze returning to Alice, who was still focused on her training.

Reaching into his robe, Spark pulled out a small, shiny object—a golden pill that gleamed enticingly in the sunlight. He had recently extorted the pill from the Clear Sky Tower steward, and it was rumored to have incredible effects.

"Alice," Spark called.

Alice stopped her practice and ran toward him, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Yes, Father?"

"I've got something for you," Spark held up the golden pill, letting it catch the light as he spoke. "It's a candy."

Alice's eyes lit up, and she immediately reached out her small hand. "Candy? Alice loves candy!"

"Of course you do," Spark said with a chuckle, handing her the pill. "This one's special. It'll help Alice grow strong."

Without a second thought, Alice popped the pill into her mouth, chewing happily. Spark watched her with a mix of amusement and satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with a hint of anticipation.

As Alice finished the pill, she looked up at Spark with a bright, innocent smile. "Thank you, Father! It was delicious!"

"Good," Spark replied, ruffling her hair affectionately. "Keep it a secret from Grandma Poo, alright?"

Alice giggled, her laughter light and carefree. She nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I won't tell, I promise!"

"But Father," Alice began, her expression shifting from joy to mild surprise, "I feel warm... really warm."

Spark, sensing the pill's effects beginning to take hold, smiled gently and knelt beside her. "That's good, Alice. Now, I want you to sit down and practice your daily breathing technique—the one Uncle Zhao taught you. Just like you do every day."

Alice nodded obediently, settling herself onto the soft grass with the grace of a child deeply focused on her task. She crossed her legs and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she recalled the steps Zhao Shi had instructed her on.

With each slow inhale and exhale, she focused on the flow of energy within her, letting it circulate through her meridians.

As Alice continued her breathing exercises, the warmth within her began to subside. Her small body, initially radiating a gentle heat, suddenly shifted to something much colder.

The air around her grew frigid, and Spark, standing nearby, noticed a sharp drop in temperature. His breath became visible in the chilly air as frost began to form on the petals of the surrounding flowers.

The once-vibrant blossoms quickly lost their color, turning a ghostly white as they froze over. The blades of grass beneath Alice's feet stiffened and turned brittle, their green hue replaced by a shimmering layer of ice.

Spark took a step back, his breath visible in the chilly air. A flicker of amusement danced in his eyes as he observed the transformation taking place.

"Well, should I say that's unexpected?" he muttered to himself, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.

Alice, her eyes still closed, was entirely unaware of the changes around her. The coldness continued to emanate from her body, expanding in a slow, steady wave.

The garden, once bathed in the warmth of a summer afternoon, was now a winter land, a stark contrast to the bright, sunny day it had been just moments before.

Spark's amusement only grew as he watched. "Looks like it's working better than expected,"

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