His stubbornness to listen to the advice vanished when Hamza swore to kick him out. From then on he made some progress,well as much as one could do practicing solo. He clearly would struggle in actual fights in function of that defective training. 

All in all,they still didn't find out what was magical about that sword. So far it was equivalent to having an average one.

"This is useless!" He hurled the object.

"Magic has conditions to function, normally those conditions involve sacrifices." She imparted.

For instance, Malumi requires that both parties share their blood to unite their souls. Said union allows one mali to heal another through temporarily falling ill.

Even magic has limits. In cases of member loss or death the ritual isn't capable of regenerating said member nor of reliving a deceased mali.

"You'll have to pay a price to activate it." The tutor clarified.

"Just say what this so-called price is!" 

"Me? I have no clue,I wasn't born when the witches forged it." The man peacefully sipped his sweet arvu tea.

"Then this IS really useless!" He kicked the sword,then stormed out of the room.

"Careful with your blood pressure or you might have a heart attack,son!" He waved goodbye.

"...Son?" Jiya looked astounded.

"He's part of the family. You guys are mali, aren't you?" He touched his beard.

"Yes,how did you know?" She wasn't hiding, though didn't get the chance to mention it.

"You have the same mark." 

"I don't see any." She scanned herself searching for anything peculiar.

"It's visible for me and other malis,but it's invisible for you and my new hotheaded son." 

"Stop calling him that, it's weird." 

"I'll call him,hmmm... angry foxy boy ? Red pawn? Oh,I know Ambarino! It 's the perfect nickname." He beamed at his genius.

"Nevermind, just call him son." 

"Thanks,little crow!" His smile changed into a worried glance at the tossed item "I think my son Ambarino could use some company."

"I'll go check on him,but please stop with the Ambarino." Adjured, very disgruntled.

Even if her father didn't suggest,she would've gone. Foxes had their own powers, what would he urgently need a mystical sword for? 

It didn't make any sense. With the exception that he's omitting something paramount. Having a secret or two isn't forbidden, although keeping this secret in question could be prejudicial for the group.