"I... I lost," Ruri murmured, dazed, her face contorted.
The entire arena roared excitedly, impressed by the high-level fight they had just witnessed.
"Hmm..." Corin nodded gently and withdrew his spear. "Luckily, the master wouldn't bear to see you suffer a loss. But this is something he and I have experienced many times, so don't worry too much. Even effort and willpower are sometimes not enough; the important thing is to move forward and learn from it."
He spoke while looking into her eyes, amidst the noise of the arena; only she heard those words, and her eyes shifted to the ground, clenching her fist in frustration.
"The winner is Corin, from the Litharion family!"
The elder announced, and the tablet vibrated, exalting the family's name. All the high elves vibrated with ecstasy.
