"I see…" she said, her voice calm but measured. "You don't look like you're lying, so I'll believe you."
Her gaze lingered on me after that. It was no sharp and not probing. It was just quiet and observant. Like she was trying to read something beneath the surface. After a brief pause, she spoke again.
"I'm going to the tournament," she said plainly. "So there's a high chance… maybe even a good likelihood that the two of us will end up meeting in the finale."
"I see…" I replied, keeping my tone neutral.
She tilted her head slightly. "You don't sound surprised. Did you expect something like that?"
"Not really," I answered honestly. "I'm not surprised. That's all."
She stared at me for a second longer, as if waiting for something more, then let out a small breath.
"But I bet you'd be surprised to hear this," she added. "Shredica will be fighting as well."
