Chapter 94: Dodging
"Papa, I wuv you!" Gracie exclaimed in joy as she gave a small and cute peck on Ace's cheeks.
"Oh? You don't love your mama who will train you for this tournament?" Maeve questioned teasingly.
'Hmph! Who will love a demonic instructor like you!? Huh?
Only I am stupid enough to do so!'
Ace thought inwardly as he tightened his hug around Gracie.
"Oh well, now that you have decided to join the tournament, I guess I should star your real training" Maeve muttered and Ace paled.
…
A while later, Gracie was running around the sect, covered in sweat while Ace was tailing with a worried look on his face.
'Five!? Five rounds!? Just for a warm-up!? isn't that too much!?' Ace complained inwardly.
The demonic instructor has instructed Gracie to run 5 rounds around the sect for warm-up before she starts with the actual training.
As for Maya, well, she was long gone since this time the one who asked her to leave wasn't Maeve but Ace himself, so though unwilling, Maya left without any delay and Maeve continued with Gracie's training.
"Hah… Hahh… Mama… I… I am back… I completed 5 laps…" Gracie gasped for air as she returned.
"Good job, now stand straight and try to recover your stamina just as I taught you before," Maeve instructed.
Gracie nodded before she straightened her back and with little to no effort, Ice Qi started accumulating around her.
Even Maeve raised her eyebrow at the ease with which Gracie was performing this complicated process. She turned towards Ace and found him lifting his chest in pride, their eyes met and he then pointed at Gracie with his eyes, as if saying, 'Look at that, that's my daughter all right!'
Maeve shook her head and sighed, 'As if she isn't my daughter as well'
Within the next 15 minutes, Gracie recovered all of her stamina, of course, since her control over Qi isn't the greatest, the whole process is a bit time taking. Obviously, this isn't something a little practice can't solve.
Seeing her ready, Maeve nodded in satisfaction before stating,
"Alright, now we will officially start with your first lesson.
Dodging"
As soon as those words left her mouth, Ace paled.
"Dodging!? Isn't that still too early for that!?" he retorted.
"Since the tournament is close, I have to pace up the training. You don't want our nightingale to get hurt and lose her first match, do you?"
"I-"
"No! I don't want to lose! Mama! I will work hard!" before Ace could reply, Gracie jumped in, with her face still round with that baby fat and her big round golden eyes shining with determination adding to her hair tied to a ponytail, the girl looked especially adorable.
"That's the spirit! As expected of my little nightingale!" Maeve nodded her head repeatedly and unknown to her, a smile formed on her face, breaking her serious instructor look.
Ace on the other hand witnessed the scene in silence as he glanced at his little nightingale before he glanced at Maeve and realized something.
Unlike him, Maeve wasn't aiming for training Gracie just to participate in the annual sect meet, she was training her to,
Win the tournament.
And through Gracie's eyes, he realized that she wasn't her cute little 2-3 year old nightingale anymore, she is now growing up. She wanted to get stronger and for that, she was ready to work hard. She wasn't a weak little girl who he should keep at home, safe and sound, she was a future mage! And a very strong one at that.
Just this thought was enough for Ace to look at Gracie in a new light, now in his eyes, other than endless adoration and love, there was another emotion,
Respect.
With that, he decided to let Maeve train Gracie however she wants. No matter how strict, she was her mother whose care and love for her wasn't any less than his, whatever she does would only benefit her. After all, it was Maeve's training that has helped him become the best swordsman in Herferd.
Noticing the sudden change on Ace's face, a smile crept up on Maeve's face.
"Alright Gracie, now pick that wooden sword and attack me the best you can
If you manage to hit me even once, I will grant you one wish and would complete it the best of my abilities"
"Really!? Then will you directly teach me magic attacks?"
Hearing that, Maeve sighed inwardly.
No matter how many examples she shows, any child would be smitten by colorful and seemingly stronger magic rather than sticking to basic body training. And Gracie being the innocent child she is was no different than others and thinks of this basic training as something tedious and unimportant.
"Alright, if you hit me once, I'll directly teach you magic." Maeve agreed, and Gracie's eyes brightened.
"If you manage to hit, that is"
"Hehe~ Be careful Mom! Don't punish me if you get hurt! Ehehe~" Gracie laughed smugly as she picked up a wooden sword and dashed towards Maeve.
"Hyyyaaaa!" with a cute roar, she swung the sword at Maeve with all her might.
Even though Maeve dodged her attack effortlessly, she didn't feel low and continued her attack.
Of course, there was no form behind her sword, she was just swinging it with plain strength, but how hard can hitting mom just once be? Gracie would continue to swing till she lands a hit. Just the thought of being able to learn attack magic motivated her even more. The more she imagined herself using strong magic, the more her expression brightened.
But…
Her bright expression didn't last long.
"Hya!"
"Hyaa!"
"Hya!"
"Hyaya!"
"Hyaaaaaaaa!"
"Ughh…"
After swinging her sword around for more than 20 times, Gracie's speed slowed down.
And as Ace expected, she wasn't even able to touch Maeve's clothes, let alone hit her.
Even then, Gracie didn't give up and continued swinging her sword with her tired arms before she finally lost her balance and fell down.
"Well, I guess we would have to continue with the physical training then"
Maeve chuckled and Gracie pouted.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone