-Dwight state-
"You dare talk back to me, Monkey," Alice's voice echoed through the room, her face reddening as if in anger.
As she spoke, Spark watched Alice's angry face from the side, his hand thoughtfully stroking his chin. He raised his hand, signaling.
"Stop," Spark said, shaking his head, disappointment evident in his eyes. "That is not how you do it. You need to make your voice sharper and your expression angrier."
Alice nodded, her expression determined. "Alice will try again."
Spark's reading room was filled with the soft, warm glow of afternoon sunlight filtering through the tall, arched windows. As the breeze entered the room, Alice's twin tails swayed, adding to the effect of her fake fury.
Spark was rehearsing Alice's intimidating voice, trying to instill a bit of fierceness in her tiny frame.
Despite his blood running through her veins, she was too timid when dealing with others. Did she lean more towards her mother's side, or was this due to the environment she grew up in? He wondered. But this had to change, and Spark took the matter into his own hands.
Alice repeated the line with more disdain in her voice, her small fists clenched at her sides. Despite her efforts, her appearance, with her round cheeks and wide eyes, made her look like a cute, puffy ball rather than an intimidating figure.
A while later, Alice paused, thoughtful, her brow furrowed. "Father, why am I learning this?"
"Well, because this makes Alice domineering, and whenever Alice meets bullies, Alice can say those words, and they won't dare to bully Alice," Spark whispered, leaning in as if sharing a secret. His voice was soft yet firm, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
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"Really?!" Alice beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Can Alice scare bullies with these words?"
"Yes," Spark nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "They will think twice before troubling you."
Alice's smile widened, her earlier timidity replaced by newfound confidence. She squared her tiny shoulders and took a deep breath, ready to try again.
As Alice continued rehearsing, the door to Spark's reading room suddenly creaked open. His mother, Sophia, entered, her presence commanding and her eyes glaring daggers at him.
As the door closed behind them, Spark slumped back on the couch, his eyes drifting up to the ceiling. His hair stirred gently in the breeze coming from the open window behind him, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers from the garden outside.
"A day without adventure is like a book with blank pages," he muttered to himself, a wistful note in his voice. "This grandma poo ruined my plan."
"I wonder if there's anything fun to do in the city?" Spark muttered.
The door creaked open again, and Zhao Shi entered, holding an envelope in his hand. His presence was calm and composed, contrasting with Spark's restless energy.
"Young master, you received a letter from your friend Baros," Zhao Shi announced, extending the envelope towards Spark.
"Why did he send a letter? Can't he just come here in person?" Spark wondered aloud, his brow furrowing.
"Well, that—did young master forget what Lady Sophia imposed a few days ago?" Zhao Shi reminded him gently.
"Ah, I remember now." Spark scratched his head and laughed wryly. "My mother did impose something a while ago."
His mother, Sophia, had banned Baros from entering the mansion. She feared that if Spark and Baros spent too much time around Alice, they would influence her badly, and she couldn't take that risk.
From then on, Baros could no longer enter the gates of the duke's mansion and was forced to communicate with Spark through letters.
"What does it say?" Spark asked, gesturing towards the envelope.
Zhao Shi nodded, opening the envelope, and began to read.
"Sir Baros has invited the young master to the Coliseum," Zhao Shi said, his voice steady. "It says 'something exciting' will happen there."
"That fatty loves to keep things in suspense." Spark stood up from the couch, stretching his arms. "I guess I'll go. It's been a while since I visited that place."
In Dwight state, there was only one coliseum, a place where bloody fights and gambling were normal and legal. Because of Alice, he hadn't visited the coliseum. His mother would scold him to death if he ever took Alice to such a place.
"Butler Zhao, prepare a carriage. I'm heading to the coliseum," Told Spark.
"Yes, young master," Zhao Shi replied, bowing slightly before leaving the room.