On the way home they visited couple of alchemy shops. Turns out that not only were they providing materials and ingredients for alchemists and doctors, these shops were replacements for pharmacies of modern world. While Ben watched with big eyes from the side, Nick purchased large amounts of the three necessary ingredients and a simple mortar and pestle. He didn’t want to suddenly take out his alchemy equipment from the air, it was shocking enough for Ben to see that this kid had so much money.

At home Nick asked Ben’s help to install a bathtub in the courtyard, then filled it with water, meticulously ground a portion of the herbs and added the paste to the bathwater. Afterwards he took off his clothes and started soaking. That was it – it was basically a folk remedy. But because this simple cleansing method was mentioned along ones that could cure viper bites and scorpion stings, he decided to try it out. The costs were low anyway and it was not dangerous at all.

While lying in the bathtub, Nick was reminded of the time he had to take the strengthening baths back in the Holy Order. In contrary to that inquisition, this time the bath was actually relaxing and pleasant. It was still wintertime and the courtyard was covered in snow, but Nick lied in the tub and enjoyed the cool sensation.

While recollecting how he survived the pain during that time, he started to perform the first Qi technique.

‘Thank you, grand elder, I appreciate your generosity’ Nick smiled.

He had gotten used to his three techniques so much he normally didn’t even pay attention how they ‘switched modes’ when he was running, walking or sitting. He didn’t know if it was normal and if every Qi practitioner and Qi master trained this way, because, despite some time away from the sect, he still didn’t find few free days to organize grand elder’s wristband’s content and read any books on cultivation. In fact, he would try to find detox recipes first before reading anything for fun anyway.

After few hours Nick got out, cleaned the tub and was surprised by the stench that the bathing water had.

‘Does it really work or it was the smell from the herbs I added?’ He thought.

In the quarters of queen Hua, Ling was giving his daily report.

“How did they manage to knock out the guards?” The queen was confused.

“I’m not clear of it myself. The sedative was very strong and obviously odorless and tasteless, otherwise guards would have noticed something suspicious. Even the guard captain could not find anything although it was obviously done by both rascals.” Ling explained.

“Let’s leave that for now. What did they steal? Don’t tell me they got a couple of spare royal seals, or may be marks?”

“No master, they didn’t take anything.” Ling looked at his surprised master, “From the start I thought this scheme was orchestrated by the boy, after all he is the newcomer and, although he had not shown any ill intent towards the young miss, he had to have an ulterior motive. I attentively watched him, but he only browsed few medicinal books and after found a particular recipe, they left. I truly believe he was just trying to find a cure for himself. You know me, master, if during these days he had the slightest ill intent, I would have noticed – it is impossible for anyone, even so for a seven year old to hide it from me.”

He paused and then continued, “Since they didn’t steal anything I instructed the guard captain to act as if he was investigating and let them go, but he obviously will report it to his majesty at a later date.”

“That is fine, continue.” Queen Hua nodded.

“Then, to be more clear on the boy’s motives, I got closer and listened to their conversation. It turned out this incident was not his idea, but Zia’s. It was only he who did the planning. Also, I’m ashamed that I didn’t notice how the young miss took a book from the study – I probably was watching boy’s every move too closely.”

“Hahaha, she tricked you? At the age of eight she managed to steal under the eyes of the legendary Ling!” Queen burst in to laughter.

“Please don’t call me that, master.”

“Alright, alright!” Queen calmed down, “What did she take?”

“Zia took his majesty’s notes on your techniques.”

Silence enveloped the room. Queen was not laughing anymore. This was too much of a coincidence.

“How is it even possible? Out of all the books? Why did she chose that one?” Hua did know that notebook.

It was small compendium and analysis her husband made before their duel all those years ago. All her strengths were noted there as well as the very few weaknesses she had.

Queen lied back in her chair more comfortably, “Sigh, is this some kind of destiny?”

Then she started laughing again, “I want to see the expression on Alex’s face when he hears it, hahaha!”

“What about the boy?” She asked after calming down, “We thought he was smart and fun, but he definitely is not simple at all.”

“After leaving, he bought some herbs, apparently for the recipe he found and then went home.”

“Monitor him and investigate his past more thoroughly.” Queen ordered.

“Will do. What about the book? Should we put it back?”

“Those are my techniques and she is my daughter! Let her learn if she wants to. This does not go against the vow we took.”

Before dawn Ben went to wake up Nick, but what he saw shocked him. Boy, who didn’t care about cold at all, suddenly had a fever, his body was shivering and there was a strong unpleasant stench coming from him. Ben was an old soldier, but he was not a doctor. He woke Nick up, but the latter took few minutes to come to his senses and gather his thoughts.

“It’s alright.” Nick said while shivering, “I already expected this to happen a few days ago. Help me please to fill the tub again.”

As he said, he really did expect this. He was stuffed full of steroids and poisons already before birth. Only the one handed bastard elder Jan knew all the substances that were absorbed into Nick’s body. It was inevitable that after taking drugs, a drug addict will experience withdrawal and the medicinal bath he took yesterday apparently triggered it.

Ben helped with the water and Nick sent him off to hunt with words, “I’ll be fine. Please tell Zia to read a lot and train her endurance. She should not practice any techniques yet.” Old man was a little confused, but later still passed the message over.

The next days got worse one by one. Nick’s fever and shivering increased, the stench on his body grew becoming almost unbearable. He asked Ben to only buy him milk and help to change the water. He would do that himself, but carrying big buckets was still too heavy, especially now when he was weakened.

Since Ben had to work, he asked one of the neighbors they shared the courtyard with for help. The man, same as other people around Ben, seemed to be one of his old army buddies. Nick decided to clarify that later – how was it possible that everyone who had any connection with the old man was his army buddy?

Be as it may, as soon as the neighbor’s wife heard that ‘cute little Nicky’ was sick and needed help, she drove away everyone and started to take care of the ‘patient’. Her children were already grown up and lived their own lives, so probably she just looked at Nick like at grandson of some sorts.

Auntie Maria was surprised and perplexed when Nick refused any kind of medicinal help, but only asked to help with the water and to warm up milk now and then. During the next days he had to explain multiple times how he was ‘only’ poisoned and this was the best way to expel all the toxins – it will just take some patience and time. Auntie Maria still looked at his small shivering stature with doubt, but after seeing the ugly black stuff coming out from Nick’s skin for a few days, she started to believe he actually could get better this way. Still, it was a strange sight to see a small boy in a tub full of cold water in the courtyard during the wintertime, but somehow she managed to get over it.

Already on the second day of the withdrawal Nick made a plan for his ‘detox retreat’. It was actually very simple – he would continue these baths till toxins stopped coming out and it would mean that at least partially he would’ve cleansed himself.

Also he continued to practice the first Qi technique and he felt that it helped him immensely. From the moment Ben was waking up, till the dusk, Nick was sitting in the bathtub and periodically, with Maria’s help, changed the water. On these breaks he drank some milk, stretched the legs and then went back to soaking.

On the eleventh day Nick still had a little fewer and was slightly shivering in the bathtub, when Ben came home accompanied by two men in black with swords on their backs and a smaller person covered in a black hooded robe.

Nick woke up to a cry, “Nicky! You pervert! Put some closes on! It’s disgusting!”

‘Why the hell is she yelling? Barely my face is above the water! And what is disgusting?’

“Sigh, turn around, I’ll put something on.” Nick looked at the furious princess and smiled.

She pouted, but still turned around mumbling something about Nick being perverted.

Turns out Zia missed Nick a lot and the palace was boring compared to the excitement they had before, so she decided to see how he was doing. When she was caught sneaking out of the palace, Zia threw a tantrum in front of her mother and the latter finally allowed her to ‘secretly’ visit daughter’s sick friend.

Nick asked Maria to warm up two glasses of milk and both friends sat and chatted for a while.

Zia was still running her daily route through the palace and reading books. She was really excited for the ‘special’ book, but could not tell more because both men in black were standing nearby. The only thing she could do was to throw few angry glances at them from time to time.

Nick was happy to chat with his little friend. Although they were not really peers considering their mental age, she was honest with him and he felt like he was hanging around his little sister he never had before.

While lying in the tub for the last few days, he had a lot of time to think. He figured that they have definitely been made back in the study, but for some reason it was not announced. Also it was easy for him to discern that the two men behind them were extremely strong Qi masters.

The way they carried their swords was also unusual – all other people he had seen up till now were carrying swords by side, including everyone in the Holy Order and all the palace guards. Of course, Nick had seen swords on backs before in cartoons and movies, but that was whole different world and imaginary one at that.

“Is she really practicing her tenacity diligently?” Nick turned to the black men and asked.

Both of them seemed to be surprised by the sudden question and Zia as well. One of the black men barely noticeably nodded to Nick.

“How would they know?” Zia was confused.

“Sigh, do you really think your mother is letting you run around like that only with that old servant following? If I am not wrong, they were present during that incident.” Nick smiled at them, but this time even a single muscle didn’t move on their faces.

Zia furrowed her brows and she looked at both her bodyguards.

“I think these two men are incredibly strong, may be almost as strong as your father.” Nick continued while still smiling, “But that does not matter. Seniors, may I ask your advise?”