The adorable Villainess is mine

It was a new morning. And this time, Grace wasn’t walking to class alone.

It still felt like a dream—how he had walked with her yesterday. But here they were again. Somehow, it felt… better today. Her nerves weren’t tangled up quite as badly.

Why? Don’t ask. She didn’t want to think too hard about what happened yesterday. Not because she hated the memory. No—far from it. In fact, it was one of the most beautiful, unforgettable moments of her life.

It was just… how it started. She still couldn’t believe she’d asked him for a k-k-kiss—

“Agh.” She groaned, drawing Carter’s attention.

“Is something wrong?” he asked right away.

The redhead quickly shook her head. “Nothing… just realized I forgot to finish my biology assignment.”

Carter smiled fondly. “I already finished it. I’ll give it to you—just copy mine.”

Grace blinked in surprise. “Is that even legal?”

Carter chuckled at her innocent concern. Leaning in slightly, he whispered, “Totally allowed—as long as no one else finds out. It’ll be our little secret.”

For some reason—whether it was because of yesterday or simply how close he leaned in—Grace felt her cheeks grow warm. She glanced ahead and gave a small nod, trying to compose herself.

Not good. She needed to keep her nerves in check. Where did all that morning meditation go? Was the book lying?

Still wrestling with her thoughts, the two finally reached the classroom.

Grace’s eyes drifted toward the front seats.

Lia turned her head briefly, gave a soft wave to Carter.

He returned the gesture with a calm nod.

Grace didn’t focus on her for long. Her attention quickly shifted—Angela.

Angela had been making remarks lately—mostly about her and Carter. Ever since Grace’s fight with Lia… ever since Carter began paying more attention to her, Angela had grown increasingly vocal. Not kind, either.

Especially last night…

Grace silently prayed Angela wouldn’t start anything today. But when her gaze landed on the girl, she stopped.

Angela was pale. Her eyes were fixed on the desk in front of her, and her shoulders trembled ever so slightly—as if she was scared. No biting words. No sideways glances. Nothing.

She looked… terrified.

“What… happened to her?” Grace whispered to herself.

But Carter heard her and calmly replied, “Probably not feeling well. The warden already warned her not to wander after dinner.”

Grace glanced at the boy beside her, then gave a small nod.

Whatever the reason, she was just glad Angela hadn’t said anything. Sick or not, it was a relief. With that thought, she and Carter quietly made their way to the back of the classroom, taking seats beside each other.

Another unexpected shift in her life—one she welcomed with all her heart.

She’d never really had friends, so she usually ended up sharing desks with random classmates. But never once with Carter, no matter how much she wished for it.

And now… here they were, sitting side by side for the second day in a row.

A soft smile tugged at her lips. Her life lately—it felt like a dream she never wanted to wake from.

Soon after, the homeroom teacher walked in. One seat remained empty. The teacher addressed it with a calm tone.
“Bruce is still recovering from his injuries. He’ll be rejoining us in a few days.”

At the mention of Bruce, several students turned to glance at Carter. But he didn’t even blink, let alone respond.

He didn’t care what others thought. The only person whose opinion truly mattered was looking at him right now—with admiration in her eyes.

Carter leaned in a little, a slight grin forming on his face.
“Did I surprise you with my strength back then?”

Grace nodded quickly. “I never thought you’d finish the match in just a few seconds.”

Carter chuckled under his breath. “Guess I had a moment of enlightenment.”

Before Grace could say more, the teacher hushed the class and began the lesson.

“Today, we’ll go over the key events that followed the Great War. I want each of you to note everything carefully. Questions from this topic will be front and center in the upcoming test.”

The students didn’t say a word. Silently, they reached into their bags and pulled out long parchment scrolls and quills, ready to take notes.

The teacher began, voice steady and deliberate,
“The Great War was a turning point…”

Like everyone else, Grace leaned forward and began scribbling down notes. She tried to keep up, but her hand wasn’t fast enough—and she missed a word. She strained to catch it, but the teacher had already moved on.

She bit her lip, hesitant to raise her hand and interrupt the class. But just then—

[Astafhadia.]

A voice echoed in her head.

She blinked. That was Carter’s voice.

Grace turned toward him, wide-eyed, only to find Carter already looking at her. His quill continued to move on its own, scribbling across the parchment with no pause.

Tentatively, she thought,
‘You can talk to me like this?’

His voice replied in her mind, warm and amused.
‘One of the most basic skills of a psychic.’

It was surreal. She could hear him clearly—inside her mind—and no one around them had any clue they were even talking.

But then another thought popped into her head.

‘Wait… you can read my thoughts too?’

Carter’s eyes blinked, and he gave a small nod.
‘Yes, I can. But I usually don’t.’

She responded quickly, a sharp edge to her thoughts.
‘Keep it that way. No mind reading.’

Just to drive the point home, she gave a slight shake of her head, glaring at him.

Carter tilted his head, clearly enjoying her fluster.
‘Alright… but why the sudden caution?’

Then, with a teasing grin forming on his face, he added,
‘Were you thinking of something indecent?’

Grace blushed at those words and looked away.

How can she let him know that since this morning all she has been thinking about is that…