A Psychopath Reborn as a Third-rate Villain

Chapter 28: Chapter 28: A Mother’s Question

Chapter 28: A Mother’s Question

The training grounds gradually fell silent.

Only the wind remained.

Andras stood alone at the center of the training grounds.

The wooden sword rested loosely in his hand.

His breathing had long since returned to normal.

His thoughts had not.

The spar with Selene had revealed something important.

He was stronger than the original Andras.

Much stronger.

The difference was no longer insignificant.

His mastery over Echo Resonance had deepened. Warborn Limit Release had exceeded his expectations. Even his combat instincts were steadily evolving with each battle.

Yet compared to the true monsters of this world—

He was still weak.

Far too weak.

The realization didn’t irritate him.

It motivated him.

Because weakness could be overcome.

Death could not

Andras lowered his gaze toward the wooden sword.

Then, without lingering any longer, he walked toward the nearby weapon racks and returned it to its place.

The blade settled into the rack with a quiet click.

Breakfast time had already arrived.

With training finished, Andras left the arena and began making his way back toward the mansion.

The estate was already fully awake.

Servants moved through the grounds carrying documents, supplies, and trays of food. Several noticed him immediately.

Their gazes lingered.

Whispers followed behind him.

"...Did you hear?"

"...Captain Jack..."

"...The Young Master killed him..."

"...One strike..."

Andras wasn’t surprised.

News traveled quickly within noble households.

An entire training ground full of soldiers had witnessed the duel. By now, the story had probably spread through half the estate.

He ignored the whispers.

People always talked.

Their opinions held little value.

As he entered the mansion, the atmosphere changed.

The servants inside maintained proper etiquette.

No whispers.

No lingering stares.

Only respectful bows.

"Good morning, Young Master."

Andras acknowledged them with a slight nod before continuing toward his chambers.

A few minutes later, he arrived outside his room.

His hand had just touched the door handle when a familiar voice stopped him.

"Andras."

He turned.

Evelyne Darkmoor stood several steps away.

Golden sunlight streamed through the corridor windows behind her, illuminating her long hair and elegant features. Even dressed casually, she carried the effortless authority of someone accustomed to commanding armies and ruling territories.

Andras raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Mother."

Evelyne approached at an unhurried pace.

"I’ve been looking for you."

Her blue eyes briefly examined him before she continued.

"It’s already breakfast time."

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"Come eat with me in the dining hall."

Andras paused for a moment.

Originally, he had planned to have breakfast in his room.

But since Evelyne was personally inviting him...

There was little reason to refuse.

"Alright, Mother."

The smile on Evelyne’s face deepened slightly.

Together, they made their way toward the dining hall.

This time, none of the servants whispered as Andras passed.

Every servant simply lowered their head respectfully.

The presence of the Duchess ensured complete discipline.

Soon, they arrived at the grand dining hall.

The enormous chamber reflected the wealth and prestige of House Darkmoor.

A long blackwood table stretched across the room beneath crystal chandeliers. Sunlight poured through towering windows, casting warm reflections across polished marble floors.

Servants immediately prepared their seats.

Andras and Evelyne sat opposite one another.

Moments later, breakfast was served.

Exotic fruits imported from distant territories.

A silver teapot released a rich aroma into the air.

For a while, neither spoke.

The silence felt comfortable.

Eventually, Evelyne lifted her teacup.

After taking a small sip, she looked directly at Andras.

"So."

Andras glanced up.

"So?"

A trace of amusement appeared in her eyes.

"What happened this morning?"

Andras had expected the question.

He calmly set down his utensils.

"Nothing particularly interesting."

Evelyne gave him a look.

Clearly, she didn’t believe that.

Andras chuckled softly.

"I hadn’t trained since I was unconscious for three days, so I went to the training grounds."

He leaned back slightly.

"Selene organized sparring matches between the soldiers."

Evelyne nodded silently.

Then Andras continued.

"One of the captains challenged me."

He frowned slightly.

"Though I can’t remember his name."

After a brief pause, he shrugged.

"Regardless, I accepted."

"And then?" Evelyne asked.

"We sparred."

His tone remained perfectly casual.

"Then I killed him."

The statement was delivered as casually as someone commenting on the weather.

Several nearby servants visibly stiffened.

Evelyne merely raised an eyebrow.

Her expression remained calm.

"So."

Her gaze sharpened slightly.

"Why did you kill him?"

Andras picked up his teacup.

"He released killing intent during the duel."

The moment those words left his mouth, the atmosphere changed.

A coldness entered Evelyne’s eyes.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees.

The servants instinctively lowered their heads.

If Andras hadn’t already become accustomed to Evelyne’s presence, even he might have found it intimidating.

"He released killing intent?"

Her voice was quiet.

Dangerously quiet.

Andras nodded.

"Yes."

Silence followed.

Then Evelyne calmly placed her teacup onto the table.

The soft click echoed through the hall.

"Then he deserved to die."

There wasn’t the slightest hesitation in her voice.

"If you hadn’t killed him, I would have."

The words were spoken with complete certainty.

To Evelyne Darkmoor, a soldier directing hostility toward the heir of House Darkmoor had already crossed an unforgivable line.

After a moment, she asked another question.

"Do you want me to investigate his background?"

Andras looked mildly surprised.

"For what purpose?"

"To discover why he released killing intent toward you."

Andras shook his head.

"No."

His answer came immediately.

"I have no interest in wasting time investigating a dead man."

He cut another piece of meat before continuing.

"A corpse has no value to me."

Then a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"If I have free time, I’d rather spend it with Mother than learn about some random captain."

For a moment, Evelyne simply stared at him.

One golden eyebrow rose slightly.

"Really?"

There was unmistakable amusement in her voice.

"You would rather spend your time with me?"

Andras nodded.

"Of course."

Evelyne studied him for several seconds.

Then a thoughtful expression appeared on her face.

"In that case..."

A small smile touched her lips.

"How about accompanying me through the Darkmoor Territory sometime soon?"

Andras looked genuinely interested.

A tour of the duchy’s lands would be useful.

Not only would he gain a better understanding of the territory he would one day inherit, but he would also learn more about the people, economy, and military structure of House Darkmoor.

"That sounds interesting."

His answer came immediately.

"When do you plan to leave?"

Evelyne smiled.

"When my schedule permits."

Andras nodded.

"Then I’ll be ready."

The conversation gradually shifted to lighter topics after that.

Yet beneath the calm atmosphere of breakfast, both mother and son found themselves unexpectedly enjoying the morning.

Outside the mansion, rumors of Captain Jack’s death continued spreading throughout the estate.

Inside the dining hall, however—

None of that seemed important.

For the moment, it was simply a mother sharing breakfast with her son.