Ada paused, her chest heaving from the effort. She blinked up at Mia, her serious expression faltering just a bit as she realized how fast she had been going. "Oh… right," she murmured, glancing down at her feet and then back up at Mia.

Mia gave her a soft, encouraging smile. "You've got the spirit, Ada. Now let's see that focus."

Ada took a step back, visibly trying to compose herself. She adjusted her stance, planting her feet more firmly in the dirt. Then, with a deep breath, she attacked again, this time with a bit more control. Her swing was still wild, but it had less frenzy behind it, and Mia nodded approvingly as she parried it once more.

"Better!" Mia praised, stepping back to give Ada space. "Now keep going—remember your training."

The two continued sparring, with Mia dodging and parrying with ease while offering gentle guidance with each move. Ada's swings slowly grew less wild, and though she was still far from mastering the sword, her efforts were clear. Lucy, standing on the sidelines, watched with a proud smile, her heart warming at the sight of her daughter learning, growing, and pushing herself.

Mia stepped back, letting Ada reset herself. She could see the determination in her daughter's eyes, mixed with a bit of frustration, but also a fierce desire to improve. Ada's face was flushed with exertion, her grip tightening on the training sword.

"Okay, Ada," Mia said, twirling her own sword with ease. "Let's go again, but this time, try to be precise. Watch your target—don't just swing because you feel like it. Think before you move."

Ada nodded, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. She inhaled deeply, lowering her stance as she adjusted her feet to match what she'd been taught earlier. Her eyes focused squarely on Mia's center, her small form a picture of fierce concentration.

"Good," Mia encouraged, her own stance relaxed but ready. "Now come at me when you're ready."

Ada lunged forward again, but this time, there was a notable difference. Her strike wasn't as wild or forceful, but more controlled, her small body pivoting with the swing rather than just relying on raw power. Mia smiled inwardly, seeing the improvement immediately. She raised her sword to block, feeling the slight pressure as Ada's wooden blade connected with hers.

"Nice! Now, keep that balance," Mia praised as she pushed Ada's sword away gently, giving her daughter a moment to regroup.

Ada took another breath, her expression serious as she made a second attempt, this time aiming a horizontal strike at Mia's midsection. Mia, of course, parried with ease, but this time she could see Ada thinking, adjusting her movements after each exchange.

"That's it, Ada! Watch your form." Mia stepped aside, spinning gracefully out of the way of another swing. "Now, don't overcommit. Stay light on your feet."

Ada huffed in frustration but took the advice to heart. She moved again, trying to attack from a different angle, her sword sweeping downward. Mia blocked it easily, but her smile grew wider as she noticed Ada using her footwork more carefully, not overextending herself this time.

"Good job!" Mia praised, stepping back. "You're getting better already. Now, try mixing it up—don't always swing from the same angle."

Ada blinked, realizing what her mother meant. She nodded quickly and took another breath, her grip steadying on the hilt of her sword. This time, she attacked with more variety, aiming a low strike at Mia's legs before quickly transitioning into a high swing at her shoulder. Though the movements were still a bit unrefined, Mia could see the effort behind each one.

Mia dodged the low strike, then easily blocked the high swing. "Good!" she said, stepping to the side. "Now, keep moving—don't stop after one attack. Flow into the next!"

Ada tried again, this time aiming a series of rapid strikes. Her first swing was parried, but she quickly transitioned into another, aiming for Mia's side, then shifting toward her midsection. Mia blocked each one, but her smile grew as Ada's movements became smoother, less rushed. Ada was starting to find a rhythm, even if it wasn't perfect yet.

"That's it! Don't let me get comfortable!" Mia encouraged, blocking another swing before stepping in close. She tapped the back of Ada's sword lightly, guiding her to adjust her grip. "Loosen up a bit. You're holding the sword too tightly—let it move with you."

Ada nodded, adjusting her grip as she pulled back. Her breathing was heavy, but there was a spark of excitement in her eyes, even through the exhaustion.

"You're doing amazing, Ada," Mia said warmly, stepping back to give her daughter space. "One more round?"

Ada grinned, despite her fatigue, and gave a quick nod. "One more!"

They squared off again, and Ada rushed forward, her movements still a bit eager but noticeably improved. She swung high, then low, mixing up her attacks with a sense of purpose. Mia continued to block and dodge, coaching her with each exchange, but giving Ada enough room to figure things out on her own.

Lucy, standing on the sidelines, watched with a proud smile, her heart swelling at the sight of her daughter's determination. She couldn't help but glance over at Ada's bright expression, her joyous excitement making her want to cheer her on with every swing.

Mia, noticing Ada's growth, couldn't help but smile even wider. Despite taking it easy on her daughter, the sight of Ada giving it her all made Mia want to push her just a little bit more. After deflecting another strike, Mia quickly stepped inside Ada's guard, lightly tapping the wooden sword against Ada's arm before stepping back.

"Nice try, but don't forget to defend yourself too!" Mia said with a laugh, tapping Ada on the shoulder with her free hand. "Balance offense and defense."

Ada, puffing out her cheeks in mild frustration, nodded but quickly adjusted her stance again, her focus renewed. This time, when she attacked, she mixed in a few defensive movements, trying to block any openings Mia might have exploited. Though it was far from perfect, the improvement was clear, and Mia couldn't have been prouder.

"You're getting stronger by the second," Mia praised, stepping back with a grin. "Keep it up, and soon you'll be sparring on equal ground!"

Ada beamed, her cheeks flushed from the effort but clearly delighted by the praise. "I'll get there, I promise!"

Lucy, clapping from the sidelines, called out, "That's my girl!"

After the sparring session with Mia, Ada was still buzzing with excitement, her cheeks flushed and her breath coming in quick, exhilarated gasps. She was filled with determination, eager to improve even more. Seeing her daughter's enthusiasm, Lucy couldn't resist the idea of joining in.

"Alright, my turn," Lucy said, a wide grin spreading across her face as she picked up a training sword from the rack. She gave it a few practice swings, the wooden blade slicing effortlessly through the air as she approached the center of the dirt ring.

Ada's eyes lit up at the sight of her mother readying herself. She was still catching her breath from the earlier round with Mia, but the idea of sparring with Lucy filled her with excitement all over again.

"You ready for round two, Ada?" Lucy teased, twirling the sword expertly in her hand.

Ada nodded eagerly, her grip tightening around her own sword. Her muscles ached slightly from her earlier bout with Mia, but the spark in her eyes showed no signs of backing down.

Lucy smiled warmly, seeing the fire in Ada's eyes. "Alright, just like before. Focus, stay light on your feet, and don't forget what Mia taught you."

Taking her place opposite Ada, Lucy raised her sword in a defensive stance. Ada adjusted her posture, lowering into a fighting stance, her brows furrowed in concentration.

Lucy was calm, her movements measured and precise as she began. "Whenever you're ready," she said softly, her tone encouraging. Ada took a deep breath, then lunged forward, aiming a swing at Lucy's side. Lucy, however, effortlessly parried the strike, barely exerting any force as she deflected the blow.

"Good, but don't rush," Lucy coached, stepping back slightly to give Ada room to regroup. "Remember your form."

Ada nodded quickly, her excitement showing as she took another swing, this time more controlled. Lucy blocked it again, though she could see that Ada was being more mindful of her movements. "Better. Now try again, but stay focused on both offense and defense."

Ada attacked again, her strikes more varied this time. She swung high, then low, trying to keep Lucy on her toes, but Lucy moved with such fluid grace that each of Ada's swings was blocked with ease. Despite Lucy's dominance, she continued to guide Ada, offering words of advice after each exchange.

"Don't forget to use your footwork, Ada," Lucy said, as she danced lightly out of the way of an attack. "Your sword is just an extension of your body—let it flow naturally."

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