The Sword Saint or The Witch?

Clap! Clap! Clap!

The sound of clapping came from behind as Frank turned around.

He saw a man, barely in his forties clapping. He wore a satisfied smile on his face as he looked at Frank. 

Aisha greeted the man, "Good morning, Father." 

The man returned her greeting and focused his attention on Frank.

"Nice fight, youngster. What's your name?" He asked Frank.

"Um... Frank Johnson and Who are you, sir?" Frank politely asked.

"Me? I am Lucas San Walter." The man simply replied.

"You... You are Lucas San Walter, the sword saint?" Deja Vu.

"Yes, I am the Sword, Saint Lucas San Walter."

Frank was so shocked, he could not believe he met two of the strongest people in the Derexia empire in a span of just a few hours.

"You don't have to be stiff. It's not like I am going to eat you alive….maybe?" He replied with a teasing tone.

"Nice to meet you, sir Walter." Frank gave a 90° bow. He was not as stiff as when we met Lady Celeste.

"Now that we have finished our introduction. What was that energy you used at the end?"

"That was the pure energy that I accumulated over the week." Frank nonchalantly replied.

"In a week?" Lucas was freaked out when he heard Frank say that he had accumulated the energy over a week as even if he said it took him a year to refine it, Lucas would have believed it.

As the energy was far superior to any mana or aura and with this Frank was able to defeat a talented swordsman, who trained for years to achieve.

"Are you telling me the truth," Lucas asked as he could not believe Frank's words.

"Yes, I know it's a long time but even though I was barely able to collect this much." Frank took his reaction the wrong way.

"Can you tell me how you did it?" Lucas asked, pressing against both Frank's shoulders.

"Y-yes, so when I saw my sister using aura..." He explained the whole thing. 

"So, you're saying that you only practised with the sword for a few days?" Lucas asked to confirm.

"Yes, my sister wanted to train me, that's why I held the sword." 

Snap! 

After hearing that, Lucas snapped his finger.

Swoosh!

Alfred the butler launched at Frank as Lucas snapped his finger.

He held the sword aiming at Frank. He stopped just inches before Frank's eyes.

'This kid... This kid is a genius. Even though he didn't react the whole time his eyes followed my attack.' Alfred thought to himself, seeing Frank as an absolute genius.

Meanwhile, Lucas's eyes were shining as he looked at Frank. It was as if he had found a  diamond inside the coal mine.

"Frank, from today onwards you will call me master." Lucas shamelessly declared, not even asking for Frank's consent.

"Huh...?" Frank was dumbfounded, he didn't believe what he heard.

As Frank processed Lucas' declaration, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of shock, confusion, and a tinge of excitement. 

Aisha and Alex, who were standing nearby, also wore perplexed expressions on their faces, mirroring Frank's state of mind.

"Master...?" Frank repeated, still trying to comprehend the sudden turn of events. "But... I... I don't even know if I'm worthy of such a title."

Lucas chuckled, patting Frank on the shoulder. "Worthy or not, young Frank, talent like yours is a rare find. You possess a unique potential that should not be wasted. I can sense it, and I believe in nurturing it."

Lady Celeste, who had been observing the situation silently, couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. "Lucas, are you suggesting that you take him as your disciple? What about his magical abilities?"

___

_

Scenes changed and now Frank is sitting between Lady Celeste and Lucas.

Lucas turned to Lady Celeste, a playful glint in his eyes. "Ah, my dear Celeste, you forget that not all battles are won with magic alone. Frank here has demonstrated remarkable skill in swordplay. I see potential in him beyond the realm of magic."

Lady Celeste's eyebrows furrowed as she crossed her arms. "I won't let you claim him so easily, Lucas. His magical talent should not be overlooked. Frank, what do you think?"

Caught between the two esteemed figures, Frank felt overwhelmed. 

He hadn't expected such a dilemma to arise, nor did he anticipate becoming the subject of their dispute. 

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he decided to speak up.

"Master Lucas, Lady Celeste, I appreciate both of your offers. I believe I can learn a great deal from both disciplines. If you'd allow me, I would be honoured to become a disciple of both of you."

Silence filled the air as Lucas and Lady Celeste exchanged surprised glances. Frank's suggestion was unconventional, but it intrigued them.

Lucas broke into a wide grin, his eyes twinkling with approval. "Well, well, Frank, you certainly know how to think outside the box. Very well, I accept your proposition. From now on you will help Celeste once a week and train with me for the rest."

Lady Celeste frowned, "What do you mean, once a week with me and train with you for the rest? I object. How about this, he will train with you for two days and five days with me."

"It's unfair, let's do it, three days with you and four days with me." Lucas said.

Frank who was sitting between the couples was tense, "Lady Celeste, Sir Luc-"

"What did I tell you to call me?"

"A-aunt Celeste and sir-" he was interrupted again.

"I want to be called Uncle too," Lucas demanded.

"Ok, Aunt Celeste, Uncle Lucas, how about you both train me for half a day? From morning to noon, Aunt will teach me and from noon to evening I will train under Uncle."

Lady Celeste's expression softened as she nodded in agreement. "I suppose that could work. Very well, Frank, I accept your decision as well."

Lucas also nodded in agreement with what he said.

Frank felt a sense of relief and excitement as the weight of the decision lifted off his shoulders.

 He had managed to find a compromise that allowed him to explore both his swordplay and magical abilities under the guidance of two exceptional mentors.

"Wait, what about my free time!!?"