To clarify exactly what I found confusing:

1. The text of the enemies' attacks went by so fast that I couldn't tell it was casting two different spells on turn 1 and 2, which made me confused as to why anti-absorption did different things on turn 1 and 2

2. I got the impression magic absorption was a specific attack, not a status effect. I thought my anti-absorption spell would negate the attack.

I figured it out eventually, but it took a few tries. And it's entirely possible that the game communicated it fine and I'm just an idiot.