The Heroine Is Crushing On The Villainess?!

Arcane Combat

After a long hour of Alchemy, it was time for Arcane Combat. As they moved to the Arcane Combat arena, a wide expanse surrounded by stone walls and shimmering wards, the atmosphere shifted to one of anticipation. The air crackled with energy as students gathered, ready to test their skills and push their limits. A sense of exhilaration mingled with nerves hung in the air-this was where friendships could deepen or rivalries ignite.

Celine nudged her from the side, her eyes bright with excitement. "Ready for Arcane Combat class? I heard they'll make us duel right off the bat."

"Ready as I'll ever be," Anastasia replied, though she felt far from confident.

The students gathered at the training grounds, an open space surrounded by ancient oak trees. Glyphs and enchantments glowed softly on the ground to contain and protect from stray spells. At the center stood the instructor-a stern knight with sharp eyes and arms folded over his armored chest.

"Welcome to Arcane Combat," he began, his voice crisp and authoritative. "Today, we'll assess your abilities with a series of one-on-one duels. This will give us-and your peers-a glimpse of your skills."

The students exchanged eager whispers. Many were ready to prove themselves, itching to display their prowess. Anastasia, however, stayed quiet, mentally preparing for the inevitable. 'I just need to get through this without embarrassing myself'

The instructor's gaze swept across the gathered students, then stopped on Anastasia. "Anastasia Ranovia," he called out, before turning toward a familiar figure standing quietly at the back. "You will spar against Maelis Howard."

A murmur ran through the crowd, and Anastasia's heart sank. Of course, it had to be her.

Maelis's icy blue eyes flicked toward Anastasia, her expression unreadable. As the two stepped forward, tension filled the air like an impending storm.

"You may use magic and physical attacks," the instructor announced. "But keep things within safe limits. We don't need any accidents on the first day."

Anastasia took her position,Across from her, Maelis stood perfectly still, her hands at her sides, exuding an eerie calm. The dark magic she wielded was powerful-magic that thrived in shadows and consumed the light.

Anastasia smirked, looking quite serious. "Hey, Maelis. I may respect you as my peer but that doesn't mean I'll let you beat me." She was showing a show of bravado.

"We'll see." Maelis replied.

Anastasia acted first, summoning a glowing orb of Lumenlight-a basic light spell. The orb radiated soft golden rays and shot toward Maelis, illuminating the field like the first dawn.

Maelis didn't even flinch. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned Umbral Veil, a swirling shadow that enveloped the orb. It snuffed out the light instantly, leaving nothing behind but a faint wisp of smoke.

Anastasia smiled. 'That was expected...I had a weak body in my past life so I'm not really that strong.'

She shifted tactics, drawing upon Sunflare, a beam of concentrated light magic. The ray cut through the air toward Maelis, but the dark-haired girl stepped aside with elegant ease, her movements as fluid as silk.

"Too slow," Maelis murmured, raising her hand. Shadows pooled at her feet and coiled upward, forming a whip of darkness-Nightfang. The whip lashed out, aiming for Anastasia's feet.

Anastasia leaped back, barely avoiding it. Her heart raced. She tried to summon another spell, but her body felt sluggish.

Across from her, Maelis tilted her head slightly, her cold gaze softening just enough to reveal something unexpected: hesitation. She could see it now-Anastasia wasn't just inexperienced. There was a fundamental weakness to her movements, as if she were unused to strenuous activity. She's not weak in spirit. Just in body...

Maelis considered her options. It would be easy to overwhelm Anastasia with a single strike. A burst of Shadowfall, and the duel would be over. But as she watched the girl across from her, stubbornly holding her ground, something gave her pause.

'Why? Why do I feel so guilty all the sudden? Should I really beat her but...'

Instead, Maelis shifted her stance. She let her movements slow-just enough to make it look like she was struggling.

Anastasia fired another bolt of Starlight Arrows-small shards of light that glittered like fragments of the night sky. Maelis dodged them, but not with her usual grace. She stumbled slightly, just enough to suggest she was having trouble.

Anastasia's eyes widened in surprise. 'What is she doing? She's not supposed to do that.'

Encouraged, Anastasia pressed forward, summoning another spell-Radiant Pulse, a burst of shimmering light.

Maelis winced as if the spell had caught her off guard, though it hadn't come close to hitting her. "You've improved." she muttered, her voice low and almost begrudging.

Anastasia's heart skipped at the unexpected compliment. 'Is she... letting me think I have a chance?'

She cast another spell-a weak Gleamflash, meant more to disorient than to harm. But before she could follow up, Maelis moved.

With a graceful flick of her wrist, she summoned a swirl of shadows-Duskwind-and sent it gently toward Anastasia. It was a soft push, not an attack, but it was enough to unbalance her.

Anastasia stumbled, her legs giving out beneath her. With a soft thud, she hit the ground

"Match over!" The instructor called.

Maelis straightened, brushing imaginary dust from her uniform. "You did well," she said, her voice neutral but not unkind.

Anastasia blinked, still catching her breath. "Of course I did. I meant what I said!"

As Maelis walked past her, she leaned in slightly, her voice a low whisper meant only for Anastasia.

"Don't push yourself too hard, princess. No need to trip so soon."

Anastasia's cheeks flushed with equal parts embarrassment and confusion but quickly faded "What's that supposed to mean?" She pouted.

Maelis didn't respond and simply walked away.

Celine rushed over to help her to her feet. "You did amazing, Anastasia! You held your ground against Maelis Howard!"

Anastasia gave a small, self-conscious laugh. "I don't think I did that well."

"You didn't get obliterated-that's a win in my book!" Celine grinned, patting her on the back.

As the students dispersed, Anastasia stole a glance toward Maelis, who stood quietly at the edge of the field, her expression unreadable as usual.

'You didn't really struggle, did you? You let me lose... just enough to keep my pride intact.' She thought.

The realization made Anastasia's chest tighten-not with frustration, but with something far more complicated.

And with that, Anastasia found herself even more intrigued by the enigmatic girl she had waited so long to meet.