The adorable Villainess is mine - Chapter 8- Distraction

Karl could tell something was off about Carter today.

He hadn’t shown up for training, skipped breakfast with them, and wasn’t even sitting with the group in class.

“You think Grace slipped something into his drink to mess with his head?” asked his deskmate and friend.

The grey-haired boy let out a sigh. “Well, Lia said Carter read Grace’s mind… so honestly, it’s hard to say if Grace actually manipulated him.”

Everyone knew what Grace was like—obsessive, sharp-tongued, and just a little unhinged.

She would do anything to get Carter’s attention.

Once, she tripped Lia on purpose right before orientation and ruined her dress.

Why? Because Carter was walking her there.

And another time, she nearly cut Lia’s head completely, during a spar since Carter liked her long black hair.

It was ridiculous, really. Grace was painfully jealous.

So when Carter suddenly started paying all his attention to that redhead, no one was surprised that people assumed she used some kind of dark magic on him.

“Bruce… do you think we should talk to Carter?” Karl asked quietly.

Bruce, Carter’s old friend since childhood, might be the only one who could actually talk some sense into him.

Bruce glanced at the black-haired girl sitting at the front of the class, then muttered, “If that helps her feel better, then fine. I’ll talk to him during practicals—and knock some sense into him if I have to.”

….

Carter was having the time of his life.

Back when he was Kai, school was barely a part of his routine.

He had awakened his skill at fourteen, and by sixteen, he was already clearing dungeons like a pro.

Most of his life had been filled with battles and messy politics.

In his rare free time, he’d lose himself in mobile games—escaping to a world with no worries.

But now, things were different. For the first time, he was living a normal school life.

And more than that… he was sitting beside the one girl he’d recently developed a crush on.

Maybe his feelings were influenced by how much he understood her pain. Maybe he was just seeing a side of her that others didn’t.

But whatever the reason, the more he looked at Grace, the deeper he fell.

“U-Um…” Grace whispered, glancing sideways. “The teacher keeps looking at us…”

She sounded nervous, but Carter could tell it was just her way of hiding her embarrassment.

He leaned in slightly and asked with a teasing smile, “Do you want me to look away, Grace? If so, you just have to say it.”

She gave him a helpless look and mumbled, “I just don’t want the teacher to scold us…so, for now…please?”

He nearly laughed. Gods, she was adorable. Her gentle voice, her pleading eyes—how could anyone call her cold or cruel?

Barely holding himself back from pulling her into a hug, he whispered back, “Alright… then, can I stare at you after class?”

Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of red, and after a moment, she gave the smallest nod.

Just then—

“Mister Carter, if you’re done talking, would you mind solving this?” the teacher called out, a bit sharply.

“Three hundred meters, sir,” Carter replied calmly without even glancing at the board.

The teacher paused, stunned. He checked the board, looked back, and cleared his throat. “Ahem… that’s correct. Now, please pay extra attention.”

“Mister Carter, if you’re done talking, would you mind solving this?” the teacher called out, a bit sharply.

“Three hundred meters, sir,” Carter replied calmly without even glancing at the board.

The teacher paused, stunned. He checked the board, looked back, and cleared his throat. “Ahem… that’s correct. Now, please pay extra attention.”

Grace looked away, trying to hide her flustered smile, but to Carter, it was the most captivating thing in the world.

For a moment, he forgot there was even a class going on.

….

After lunch, the students are required to attend the physical classes. After all, this academy was focused on building both academic and practical geniuses.

The ultimate goal of most of the students was to become a purger in the future who fight the demon race and save humanity.

That’s why, no student skips the practical class.

All students were asked to report to the indoor gymnasium for sparring.

In class Alpha, there were twenty-six students. And the pairs are made based on skill level.

Carter was placed at twenty-first, the lowest in the group.

Grace was at first, while Lia at fourth.

If taken into account, the strength level, Carter should have been facing someone between the fifteenth and twentieth ranks.

However, in the arena, he found himself facing the second-ranked student named Bruce.

“Let me put your mind back in place, Carter.”

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.