both are allowed to fights. It just that magic engineers have different event.
Also, it is clearly stated during one arc where Han contemplates choosing between Eolka and Catio. Magic engineers are considered much more valuable in the later stage, because they're efficient and versatile for missions than traditional elemental mages. This is because their skill ranges providing the team with utility and adaptability, unlike traditional mages who focus on only one or two elements, mostly which is damage power.
magics cast offensive magic. magic engineers are supp + utility.
This guy's yammering on about people thinking "mages and magic engineers are disadvantaged in matches" (ch 186). But I thought Han said magic engineers "don't participate in the tournaments because of fairness issues" (ch 182)—as in, they're too OP in this format.
So are mages/magic engineers allowed to fight or not? Was there a translation discrepency? Or is there some distinction between mages and magic engineers that isn't ever clarified very well for the sake of *hand-wavey* plot convenience purposes?
I honestly don't have a problem with plot holes in webtoons/webnovels, especially considering how the creators have to churn out new chapters every week, I just want to make sure I'm not the one missing or misunderstanding something here lol