Villain Origin : Every Crime I Commit Helps Me Level Up-Chapter 14: Uncovering Secret

The morning arrived with a muted glow filtering through Andre's curtains, casting soft streaks of light across the lavish room. His body ached—not from exhaustion, but from the lingering high of yesterday's fight. The thrill of testing his new body still hummed beneath his skin, a sharp contrast to the calculated silence that had settled in his mind.

'So today's one of those days students don't have classes, huh? What do they call it again? Oh, right... the weekend.'

His fingers grazed his temple as he exhaled. A moment of stillness before reality settled in again.

A sharp knock on the door broke through the quiet. Without waiting for permission, the maid stepped inside, carrying a silver tray with a neatly arranged breakfast. Her posture was practiced—graceful, obedient—but Andre's gaze sharpened as he observed her.

"Good morning, Young Master." Her voice was even, betraying nothing. "Your father asked me to inform you that a ball will be hosted this evening. It is expected that you attend."

The formal tone, the rehearsed elegance—it was exactly how people in this house spoke. He leaned back against his pillow, stretching slightly before fixing his gaze on her.

"Hm." He let the silence stretch just a little too long before speaking again.

"What was your name again?" He tilted his head, his voice laced with mild arrogance. "I keep forgetting."

A flicker of something—annoyance?—passed over her features before she quickly masked it.

"It's Anna, Young Master."

'Right... not that I actually forgot. But the old Andre wouldn't have cared to remember in the first place.'

Andre's eyes drifted over her as she set the tray down. The movements were precise, methodical, as if she'd done this a thousand times before. But then, something caught his eye. A bracelet, silver and delicate, resting against her wrist.

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His fingers tapped against the wooden nightstand as a memory flashed in his mind.

A broken silver bracelet. Left behind in the alley.

"Nice bracelet," he remarked casually.

Anna glanced at it before offering a small, polite smile. "Oh, this? Thank you, Young Master."

His eyes stayed on her wrist. "How long have you had it?"

She hesitated, just for a fraction of a second. If he weren't watching her so closely, he might have missed it.

"I just got this one, actually. The last one I had broke recently."

Andre's expression didn't change, but something in his mind clicked into place.

'Interesting.'

He didn't push further. Didn't ask how or where the previous one had broken. A direct confrontation wasn't necessary—not yet. Instead, he simply nodded, leaning back slightly as if he'd already lost interest.

"You can go," he said lazily.

Anna bowed slightly, turning to leave.

Andre waited until the door clicked shut behind her before sitting up fully. His gaze flickered down to the neatly prepared meal in front of him.

Eggs, toast, fresh fruit. A standard breakfast. Innocent-looking.

His fingers hovered over the fork before pulling back.

'Should I even eat this?'

It would be easy to dismiss his paranoia, but he knew better. The first poisoning attempt had been too clean, too precise. If she tried again, it would be sloppy—too obvious.

'But that's the thing, isn't it? She's already planning to disappear soon. She can take that risk again.'

Still, better safe than sorry.

"Karmic," he called out mentally.

[ Awaiting command. ]

"Analyze the food. Check for any foreign substances."

A brief pause. Then—

[ Analysis complete. No signs of toxins detected. ]

Andre exhaled slowly. 'Figured as much.'

Even so, he didn't touch the food immediately. He sat there, processing everything, his mind already moving ahead.

A broken bracelet in an alley. A maid with a matching replacement. A ball hosted by his father.

Something was coming.

And he intended to be ready for it.

Andre sat still for a moment, watching the closed door. His fingers tapped against the table.

'She's too calm. Either she's truly innocent, or she's good at hiding things.'

Suspicion alone wasn't enough. He needed confirmation.

Slipping on a casual jacket, he stepped out of his room, keeping a fair distance as he followed her through the hallways. If she was up to something, she wouldn't break character easily—but everyone had a tell.

To his mild surprise, Anna didn't act out of the ordinary. She went about her duties like any other maid, tending to minor cleaning, assisting the kitchen staff, and ensuring preparations for the evening's ball were on track. Servants bustled around, arranging elegant decorations, and the scent of expensive wine lingered in the air. The estate was shifting into its grand hosting mode.

'If she's planning something, she's patient.'

Andre's eyes narrowed slightly as he leaned against a pillar, blending into the background. Either she was a truly dedicated servant, or she was playing a long game.

But if she really was leaving... the ball would be her best chance.

The estate came alive as dusk settled.

Guests arrived in their finest attire, the soft hum of classical music filling the air. Andre made his way through the gathering, exchanging polite nods and brief words with the wealthy elite.

It was nothing more than a performance—his real focus was elsewhere.

As he moved through the crowd, he bumped into someone.

"Watch where you're going, Andre."

His stepsister, Eliza.

" You're the one standing in my way," he muttered, brushing past her.

She scoffed but didn't pursue the conversation.

Nothing of note happened during the ball itself, but as the night stretched on, Andre felt a growing sense of unfinished business gnawing at him.

Then he saw it.

Near the grand staircase, hidden from the view of the guests, his father was speaking to Anna.

Andre took a careful step back, just enough to listen without drawing attention.

"You can leave now," his father's deep voice murmured.

Anna nodded, keeping her expression neutral. "Understood."

'That's it? No threats? No hesitation?'

A taxi pulled up outside the estate gates.

Andre didn't hesitate—he slipped into his car, trailing behind as she left the mansion.

Andre watched as Anna slipped into the taxi, his jaw tightening. The moment it pulled away, he got into his car and followed, keeping a careful distance. City lights flashed across his windshield as he trailed her through the quiet streets.

When the taxi finally stopped, Anna stepped out, paid the driver, and headed toward her building. Andre pulled over a short distance away, fingers drumming against the wheel as he watched her disappear inside.

'She really was going to disappear.'

Andre exhaled, his fingers flexing slightly.

'Perfect time to test my new ability.'

A gift from the system— Echo of Sins.

A power that forced guilt to surface, amplifying regret and pulling truths from the weak-minded. But there was a drawback. It wasn't absolute.

It only worked on those who carried guilt. And it consumed a heavy amount of Mental Fortitude Points.

Andre stepped forward, making his presence known.

Anna's eyes widened as she turned to see him standing just a few feet away.

"Y-Young Master? What are you doing here?"

"Came to see how far a maid would run." His tone was casual, but his gaze was sharp. "But let's skip the small talk."

He activated Echo of Sins.

A subtle pulse emanated from him, unseen yet suffocating. Anna flinched, gripping her wrist. Her breath hitched as an invisible weight pressed against her thoughts.

"Tell me the truth," Andre said coolly. "Why are you running?"

Her body trembled. Her lips parted as if to resist—but the power crushed through hesitation.

"I... I had no choice..."

Tears welled in her eyes as she clenched her fists.

"Your father... he... he promised me money. A lot of money."

Andre's expression remained unreadable. "And?"

Anna swallowed, her voice barely a whisper. "It wasn't just about the money." Her eyes burned with something deeper—anguish. "My brother... He's sick. Dying. He needs surgery, but I could never afford it. Your father knew that. He used it against me."

She took a shaky breath before continuing. "It was my turn in the rotation. We servants take turns bringing tea to your father's study each evening—it's part of our routine. When I approached his study that night, I heard him on the phone. He sounded... different. Cold. He said, "Have you finally killed him? Are you sure he's dead, not just breathing?" I froze there, outside the door. Before I could back away, he opened it and saw me standing there."

Her voice dropped even lower. "The next day, he called me to his office. He told me he would give me money—enough for my brother's surgery and more—if I would keep my mouth shut and just disappear. The guilt has been eating me alive... that the master could do something like that, and I couldn't tell you, the young mistress, or your mother. If I collect the money..." Her voice trailed off before she looked up again with pained eyes. "But like I said before, I had no choice."

Andre's mind stilled.

'She's not lying.'

He had expected betrayal, greed, or even espionage. But this?

She was bought out not because of ambition, but out of desperation.

A bitter taste settled in his mouth.

Silence stretched between them.

Andre closed his eyes briefly.

'Damn it...'

The weight of Echo of Sins faded. Anna gasped, the pressure releasing its grip on her mind.

Andre exhaled.

"...You really were planning to disappear?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "It's not safe for me to stay. If I don't leave now, your father might decide I know too much."

Andre clicked his tongue. He had gotten what he needed, but the outcome left an odd taste in his mouth.

His father always played a calculated game, but now?

Now it was getting personal.

'The bastard didn't just buy loyalty. He bought silence.'

He took one last glance at Anna, his voice lower now.

"You better hope your brother makes it."

She flinched but nodded,

Without another word, Andre turned and walked away, his mind already shifting gears.

There was still so much left to uncover.

And his father had just made himself a bigger problem than before.

Andre paused mid-step, a realization suddenly hitting him. 'She actually doesn't have a reason to follow me then... it was all a misunderstanding.' His brow furrowed as another thought struck him. 'Then who was there in the alley if she wasn't the one? And who did my father kill?' The implications sent a chill down his spine. The game was bigger than he'd initially thought.