A Psychopath Reborn as a Third-rate Villain

Chapter 15: The Fiancée of House Darkmoor

A woman’s voice broke the silence.

Andras turned his head slightly.

Evelyne Darkmoor stood several steps behind him.

Moonlight draped itself across her figure, making her seem almost unreal. Her long golden hair flowed down her back like liquid gold, while her blue eyes shimmered softly beneath the night sky.

She wore a dark violet nightgown woven from expensive silk, with delicate silver embroidery tracing the sleeves and collar. A thin fur cloak rested loosely over her shoulders, shielding her from the cold night air.

Even dressed casually, she carried the effortless elegance of a duchess.

Andras looked at her calmly before answering.

”I slept for three days,” he said with a faint chuckle. ”It’s difficult to fall asleep again so soon.”

Then he tilted his head slightly.

”But what about you, Mother? Shouldn’t you be resting as well?”

Evelyne walked closer at an unhurried pace.

”I couldn’t sleep either,” she replied quietly.

Andras studied her for a moment before speaking again.

”Then come sit here.”

A faint smile touched Evelyne’s lips.

Without objection, she walked toward him and sat beneath the tree.

The grass shifted softly beneath her movements.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

Then a memory surfaced from the original Andras.

Without hesitation, he lowered himself onto the grass and rested his head on Evelyne’s lap.

Evelyne blinked in surprise.

Andras stared at the sea of stars overhead.

”Do you remember?” he asked quietly. ”When I was little, we used to come here at night. I’d lie like this while we watched the stars together.”

For a brief moment, Evelyne became still.

Then a gentle smile appeared on her face.

”How could I forget?” she said softly as her fingers moved through his white hair. ”You always loved the night sky.”

Her expression softened even further as old memories resurfaced.

Back then, Andras had been far more affectionate.

He followed her everywhere.

No matter where she went within the estate, he would eventually appear behind her, ignoring the amused looks of servants and the disapproving stares of nobles.

But as the years passed, he changed.

He became colder.

More distant.

More difficult to understand.

At times, even cruel.

That was why this moment felt strangely nostalgic.

Like a fragment of the past she thought had disappeared forever.

A cool breeze drifted through the garden.

Then Evelyne frowned slightly.

Her hand paused in his hair.

”Andras...”

”Hm?”

”Have you been drinking?”

Andras glanced up at her lazily.

”Yes.”

Now that she was sitting this close, the scent of alcohol was impossible to miss.

But there was something else.

A faint fragrance lingering beneath it.

A woman’s scent.

Evelyne’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

”And...” she continued slowly, ”why does your maid’s scent still linger on you?”

Andras met her gaze without hesitation.

”I slept with Lyra.”

The answer came so casually that Evelyne froze for a second.

Her fingers stiffened slightly.

Meanwhile, Andras remained perfectly calm.

Though inwardly, another thought crossed his mind.

How could she still notice that?

He had already bathed before coming outside.

Was a woman’s sense of smell truly that sharp?

The thought amused him.

Eventually, Evelyne released a quiet sigh.

”I see...”

Her expression became complicated.

She did not particularly care about nobles spending time with servants.

Such things were common among aristocratic families.

Powerful nobles often kept maids, servants, or even concubines.

Especially young masters.

Still...

Hearing her son mention it so casually felt strange.

There was no embarrassment.

No hesitation.

Only calm honesty.

For reasons she couldn’t quite explain, that unsettled her slightly.

And beneath that discomfort lingered another emotion she couldn’t properly identify.

Evelyne pushed those thoughts aside.

”I won’t interfere with what you do with your maid,” she said calmly. ”But don’t forget that you’re already engaged.”

Andras’s eyes narrowed slightly.

His fiancée.

Right.

Fragments of memory surfaced almost immediately.

And alongside them came memories from the novel.

Silver hair.

Cold eyes.

An elegant and proud demeanor.

Seraphina Valebright.

The daughter of Duke Valebright, one of the most influential noble families in the Empire.

Their engagement had been arranged years ago for political reasons.

Darkmoor duchy commanded enormous military authority in the north.

Valebright duchy controlled vast trade networks and magical resources across multiple territories.

Together, their alliance strengthened both families.

In the original novel, however, Seraphina eventually broke the engagement after Andras’s reputation deteriorated beyond repair.

She despised weakness.

And the original Andras had embodied exactly that.

A third-rate villain obsessed with power but incapable of truly grasping it.

Andras remembered her well.

Beautiful.

Talented.

Dangerous.

A genius mage destined to become one of the Empire’s most influential figures.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Evelyne continued speaking while carefully observing his expression.

”Seraphina will likely visit the estate before the academy term begins,” she said. ”Try not to cause unnecessary trouble around her.”

A faint smile appeared on Andras’s face.

”You speak as though I’m some kind of disaster.”

Evelyne laughed softly.

”You are my son,” she replied. ”That alone explains enough.”

Andras closed his eyes and rested comfortably against her lap once more.

The cold night breeze brushed gently across his face.

Above them, countless stars continued to shine across the endless sky.

Beside him, Evelyne resumed running her fingers through his hair just as she had when he was a child.

Minutes passed in comfortable silence.

The garden remained peaceful beneath the moonlight.

Yet inside Andras’s mind, countless thoughts continued moving.

Ambrose Academy.

The protagonist.

The heroines.

The villains.

And now—

His fiancée.

The story of Rise of the Sword Hero was beginning to move once more.

And this time...

Andras had no intention of becoming a disposable side villain destined to die for someone else’s growth.

He intended to become far more than that.