I, The Villainess, Will Seduce All The Heroines Instead
Chapter 62: In Denial!

Chapter 62: In Denial!

There was absolutely no way those tarot cards were talking about her.

Verena refused to believe it.

Her? With more than one lover?

That sounded like a logistical nightmare. A full-time job with unpaid overtime. Just imagining juggling multiple relationships made her want to break out in hives.

It felt... wrong. Like cheating.

Did the system really get to me?

She shook her head, trying to shove the thought away.

No, it wasn’t possible. She was not that kind of person.

And yet, the lingering weight of the tarot reading clung to her, like the feeling of waking up from a dream she couldn’t quite remember. Just unsettling enough to make her uneasy.

Bonk!

A firm hand smacked the top of Verena’s head.

"You’re distracted!" Raphael scolded, arms crossed like an overbearing drill sergeant.

Ugh, this bitch.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," Verena grumbled, rubbing the spot he hit. "I got caught up overthinking..."

Raphael’s glare sharpened. "Overthink in battle, and you won’t have anything left to think with—because your head will be rolling on the ground!"

Ah, classic Raphael. Always so dramatic. But also so true.

They were back in the Arena at night, training under the cold glow of the stars.

Verena adjusted the weighted bands strapped to her arms and legs, already feeling the strain from their earlier drills. But carrying weights was just the start.

Tonight’s brutal regimen included:

Practicing footwork drills across the shifting sand to improve agility.

Cutting through enchanted dummies that moved to simulate real combat.

Sword katas. Repeating the same swings over and over until muscle memory took over.

Dodging fireballs because, apparently, Raphael believed "pain is the best teacher."

They were also training in the finer art of weaving the Threads—channeling their magic, amplifying their strength, and molding the raw energy so the mortal body wouldn’t tear itself apart in the process.

"Watch closely," Raphael commanded, his stance firm. "The mortal body is just a vessel. And vessels are weak. If you let the Threads control you, they’ll rip you apart. Instead, you control them. Let the energy flow, but don’t let it take you."

With a flick of his wrist, he unsheathed his sword.

The moment it left its scabbard, flames erupted along its edge, roaring to life like a wild beast just unleashed.

Boom!

He struck the training dummy with such explosive force that the ground trembled beneath their feet.

Yeah. Typical Aries behavior.

With his Sun in Aries, Raphael wielded Ignition Magic. Not just your standard fire-throwing gimmick, but something much deadlier.

In this world, magic wasn’t chosen.

It was woven into a person’s very being, dictated by the alignment of the stars at their birth.

The core of one’s magic was always tied to their Sun Sign, shaping their natural affinity.

No magic was truly common or uncommon. Only different in how it manifested.

However, the true depth of one’s power was influenced by two key factors: the Celestial Houses, which acted as modifiers, refining or amplifying abilities in unique ways, and the Moon Sign, which shaped how that magic flowed, whether it was stable, unpredictable, or deeply intuitive.

No two mages wielded their power in exactly the same way. Even under the same Zodiac, the stars ensured that no destiny was ever identical.

Raphael’s Ignition Magic wasn’t about simply creating fire.

It was about sparking it. Amplifying it. Turning the tiniest ember into an inferno.

At its peak, it could ignite latent energy in the air, setting molecules ablaze, causing chain reactions, and making already-burning objects detonate on command.

Raphael turned to Verena, smirking. "Now, you try."

Verena exhaled sharply, steadying her grip on the hilt of her sword.

The Threads shimmered around her, pulsing in time with her breath.

This time, she wasn’t just going to defend. She was going to strike back.

Across from her, Raphael stood with his arms crossed, his usual smirk in place. "Go on, then," he taunted. "Show me what you’ve got."

She didn’t need to be told twice.

With a flick of her wrist, she wove the Threads into her movements, letting them surge through her muscles.

Her body felt lighter, faster like she could move as swiftly as the wind itself. Her sword glowed faintly, the energy beginning to take form.

Raphael vanished.

What?!

Before she could even process his movement, a gust of heat surged behind her.

"Too slow," his voice whispered near her ear.

Verena barely twisted in time before his wooden training sword tapped against her ribs, sending a sharp sting through her side.

She stumbled back, gritting her teeth.

That wasn’t fair.

He moved like a phantom, flickering between spaces as if he weren’t bound by the same rules of motion as everyone else.

Raphael sighed dramatically, resting his sword on his shoulder. "Did you seriously think that was going to hit me?"

Okay, yeah. That was embarrassing.

She exhaled through her nose, rolling her shoulders. "Oh, shut up. I’m just warming up."

"Why are you so distracted?" Raphael asked, eyes narrowing.

"It’s nothing!" Verena shot back, a little too quickly.

"Well, I can’t train someone who’s got their head in the clouds."

"Fine! It’s about my love life, okay? Happy?"

Raphael blinked, then smirked. "And here I thought I was bad. You’re such a playgirl."

That did it.

Something inside Verena snapped. The invisible Threads of Fate hummed to life, coiling around her fingertips. She wasn’t just pissed. She was motivated.

"Stay still," she commanded.

Raphael’s body locked up as if unseen strings had wrapped around him, binding his limbs. His smirk faltered, confusion flickering across his face.

Three seconds later, before he even knew what had happened, he was on the ground. A wooden sword pressed against his cheek.

Verena loomed over him, triumphant. "Still think I’m a playgirl?"

Raphael stared up at her, then annoyingly grinned.

"Damn," he said, completely unfazed. "What’s with the overreaction? Did I hit a nerve? Am I closer to the truth than you wanna admit? Or are going to continue being in-denial?