Bab 202: Tournament: Valeria

While the tournament was progressing, on the one hand, inside the area reserved for female fighters, Valeria tightened the straps of her armor, her gaze steady and focused. The preparation space was clean and relatively quiet, the sounds of the ongoing battles outside muffled by thick walls. She took a steadying breath, savoring the calm. This area, unlike the bustling spaces filled with male fighters, felt like a sanctuary—few came here, especially close combatants like herself.

'At least I can prepare in peace,' she thought, appreciating the solitude. Though the strength of an Awakened wasn't determined by gender, it was true that most female Awakened chose to master magic over melee.

As a result, the close-combatants here were few and far between, and Valeria was grateful for the space this afforded her. It allowed her time to center herself, to focus on the match ahead without distraction.