“So what if you’re from the Manjuvad Demon Clan? You’re still a complete stranger to me!” Indra said firmly.

“Even so, I cannot ignore the cries of your wife and that angry expression on your face!” Sumara said and she glared fiercely at him. “I clearly see you are the one at fault here. So I must make myself clear.”

Indra was startled for a moment. He quickly recovered and said “This is my family and you are not part of it. So I don’t care what you got to say and I won’t be convinced about my son learning magic! It is an utter waste to learn it!”

Sumara’s eyebrows twitched as she said “Explain.”

“What is there to explain about magic? You must first have to say the words out loud and then execute it! Your opponent would know what you’re planning and will take evasive actions to avoid it. Not only that, but you’re wasting precious time standing around and speaking them out!”

“Your point is the time taken to execute spells? I, on the other hand, think that the execution of magic spells takes less time than you realise. How else did you think I quickly cast my spell and captured all those Two-Headed Cerberus in my magic spell, Earth Bind?”

“I don’t know when you and Lucky arrived, so I cannot ascertain how long it took you to cast your spell,” Indra said flatly.

“Then your argument has no proof that magicians take so long to cast a single spell.” “I watched people take that long to do it!”

“Then those people need proper practice to become a true magician!”

Like that, the two of them continued to argue on and on. Lakshmi and Lakshman were standing around and switching their gaze from one to the other. It seemed nighter of them will back down from this confrontation about magic or sword.

Getting tired of the argument, Indra said, “I’m never accepting the idea that my son will learn magic!”

“If you set on not wanting your son to learn the magic words, then perhaps training him to use Voiceless Incantations will help. He will be able to use magic quicker like that.”

“What? Voiceless Incantations? I’m well aware of their use, but I don’t believe my son will master it so easily! I don’t see you being able to use Voiceless Incantations!”

“This isn’t about me. It’s about the welfare of your son we’re talking about here.”

Sumara narrowed her eyes and said “You never once bother to ask what your son what he wants to learn, did you? Shouldn’t he learn what he is interested in learning instead of being forced by his stubborn father?”

“He’s only seven, too young to decide what is good or not good for him! That’s why we, as his parents, are here to guide him!” Indra said sharply.

“You’re not agreeing with me!” Lakshmi said angrily.

“And like I said, magic is not good to learn! Stop trying to make him do something with that stupid logic and then regret it later!” Indra retorted angrily.

“Then let’s ask Lucky what he thinks!” Sumara said and they looked at her with surprised expressions on their faces.

“Ask him? Do you mean to ask a seven-year-old to know what is best for him?” Indra asked with a perplexed expression on his face.

“It’s better than having to argue on and on about this silly matter.” “Fine! My son won’t let me down!”

All three of them turned to stare intently at Lakshman. He was taken aback by their serious expressions and wondered what he should do there and then. After walking over to him, Indra knelt down and spoke quietly to his son.

“Lucky. Tell me, honestly. Would you prefer to learn the magic or the sword?”

Lakshman made a blank expression as he stared into his father’s eyes. Truth be told, he was very interested in learning magic, but he also liked the sword. He felt strong and unbeatable whenever he practiced the sword. With that in mind, he did not know what to do.

Then a voice, in his mind, suddenly asked, “Would you like to do both the magic and the sword?”

“What?” Lakshman asked and he suddenly began looking around in confusion.

Indra sighed and said “I asked you whether you want to study the magic or the sword or maybe both?”

“Oh...” Lakshman said in a low voice.

“It’s me, Sumara. I’m speaking to you through telepathy. It is an ability my clan possess which enables me to speak directly into one’s mind,” the voice of Sumara said in his mind. “Now come out in the open and speak about it.”

Lakshman looked up at her and saw that she was smiling coolly. She nodded and he heard her voice once again in his mind.

“Be open about it. Your father is asking you for your opinion. Now’s your chance to tell him that you want to do both.”

Lakshman was amazed by her words and thought “I wish, but I’m scared.” “Why?”

“I... I’m scared that dad might hit me for learning magic and sword at the same time! He got so angry at mom for asking about it, I’m afraid what he’ll do to me if I practice it!”

Sumara’s voice suddenly laughed and said “Don’t be silly! You are his son. If you make a mistake, he’ll hit you, but he won’t do anything when the choice is yours. Besides, aren’t you a fighter? Aren’t you a warrior? If you are, then be brave and come out in the open and say it!”

Lakshman was puzzled by her words. That was the first time anyone has ever told him to be brave regardless of the consequences. This somehow reminded him of how caretaking Mariana was when he got sick.

Plucking up courage from the depths of his heart, he took a deep breath and said “I like to do both magic and sword, dad.”

Lakshman prepared himself for the beating he might receive from his father. Instead, none came. He looked at his father and saw that he was wearing a pained expression on his face

“D-Do both, ah...?” Indra said and sighed heavily.

Indra sighed once again and he stood up before facing his wife and Sumara.

“I know he said that, but I still don’t think he can use regular magic anyway,” he said in his last ditch effort to make his son avoid learning magic.

“That’s no problem. In fact, we can have him try using magic right here!” Sumara said and she suddenly looked excited about the prospect.

Sumara explained to them that she will get Lakshman to fire a magic spell at him. The target is Indra and she made him stand several meters away from them. Indra stood there, like a statue, and waited for the moment when her magic would hit him.

“Seriously? You’re now using me as a target practice now?” he asked in exasperation. “Feel free to dodge at your leisure,”

“Ha...! Yes...! Feel free to fire off anytime!” Indra shouted at them with a disgruntled expression on his face.

Sumara knelt down and looked at Lakshman as she said “Lucky, observe me carefully. What I’m about to use is an Advanced Ranked Water Magic Spell. Watch carefully as I

demonstrate in how to use it, okay?”

“Yes!” Lakshman said excitedly and he watched her with utmost attention.

Sumara straightened up and extended her hand out. Out of thin air, a staff suddenly appeared. She gripped it firmly and muttered “Transform into a wand.”

As if in response to her request, the staff emitted light and suddenly became small. Sumara was now holding a small stick which seemed well built. She nodded in satisfaction at the wand in her hand and turned to smile at Indra.

She extended her wand arm out and aimed her wand at Indra. He readied his sword to block whatever attack she was going to use on him. Then she began to quickly chant incantations to execute the magic spell.

“Sprits of water, transform into a spherical shape of a ball and launch! Water Blast!”

In an instant, a strong wind began blowing around them as Sumara’s long hair was blown by the wind. Then particles of light began forming in front of the wand and it turned into the shape of a ball, except that it was full of water.

The next instant, it went soaring straight at Indra. As it sailed, it left a trail of water flying behind it. As it neared, Indra casually lifted his sword up and easily cut the water blast. The attack covered his sword with water as it broke free and spread everywhere on the ground.

“Okay! I think this is too easy! Perhaps something tougher?” Indra called to them. “Seriously...!” Lakshmi said and she shook her head at her husband’s cockiness.

Sumara nodded at the result as Indra waved his sword around to clear away the water from his sword. Then she knelt down and looked directly at Lakshman. He knew it was his turn and he suddenly became very nervous.

She smiled and said “No need to feel nervous. You can do it! I know you can do it! Do you feel you can do it? Of course you can!”

Feeling a little more confident from her encouraging words, he took the wand that she handed him. Then he took a stance and aimed the wand at his father. He closed his eyes and remembered what she did a few seconds ago and imitated it.

“Spirits of water, form into a... um...?”

He stumbled for some words and turned to look at her for help. She smiled and said “It’s ‘Spirits of water, transform into a spherical shape of a ball and launch’. Okay?”

“Right!” Lakshman said and he nodded confidently.

Then he took his stance once again and aimed the wand at his father before chanting the incantation.

“Spirits of water, transform into a spherical shape of a ball and launch! Water Blast!”

The wind began blowing faster around him like it did for Sumara. Then particles of light began forming in front of the wand until it turned into a ball of water. The next instance, the water ball whooshed away at high speed.

“What the?!” Indra exclaimed in shock at the speeding water ball.

He tried to bring his sword up, but it was too late. The speedy water ball splashed him in the face and he found himself dripping wet. He closed his eyes automatically just before impact and saved his eyes at the last second.

Seeing the impact of water on her husband’s face, Lakshmi burst into laughter. Lakshman, on the other hand, panicked. He quickly handed the wand over to Sumara and ran into the house while shouting in a panicked voice.

“I didn’t mean to do it! I didn’t mean to do it! Don’t hurt me! I didn’t mean to do it!”

Lakshmi, startled by his shouting, tried to call him back, but he had already entered the house and disappeared. Then she smiled and walked towards her husband, who stood still and silent while dripping wet.

“Couldn’t you block the attack or dodge it? Was it just that fast for you to even make a move?” Lakshmi asked in a wondering voice while she grinned broadly.

“Be quiet,” Indra muttered and he looked at her unhappily.

“Mmm… Your son has natural potential in using the Magic Force so easily without prior training. He’s unable to control it properly now, but training is the key so that solution,” Sumara said in satisfaction.

Indra remained silent as he wiped the water off his face. Then he looked at them with a displeased expression on his face. They thought he was going to yell at them when, all of a sudden, he began smiling at them.

“Ah...! It’s been a while I got this wet from an attack!” Indra said in a voice full of energy. “Huh?” Both Lakshmi and Sumara said in unison.

“Alright! It’s settled then!” Indra said in a firm voice and they listened quietly. He looked at Sumara and asked “Miss Sumara—”

“Just call me Sumara,” she told him and he nodded.

“Okay! I’ve decided!” Indra suddenly said in a loud firm voice.

“Um… What did you decide?” Lakshmi asked apprehensively, fearing that he will disallow Lakshman from learning magic.

He turned to Sumara and asked “Would it be possibly for you to be our son’s magic tutor? If you don’t want to, I can understand that you have circumstances. It’s just that looking for the right magic tutor for him will take time.”

Sumara looked amazed for a moment by his words. Then she smiling coolly and said “Actually, I was going to ask you if you would let me tutor your son. Right now, I actually don’t have a job. I only recently joined the Monster Containers office in this town, but I doubt I will stay due to being underpaid.”

Indra and Lakshmi looked at each other for a moment. Then they looked back at her and smiled happily.

“Please! We would like for you to teach our son in the ways of magic. We’ll arrange training schedules from when to when he will do what. Is that alright with you?” Lakshmi asked eagerly.

“Suits me just fine!” Sumara said with pleasure.

Indra extended his hand out and she grasped it. Then they shook firmly which sealed the deal. That was when Sumara Majuvad became the magic tutor for Lakshman Reddy.