Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character-Chapter 86: [85] A Conspiracy in the Dark

-Third Point of View-

That night, in the Arleon mansion, a young woman stepped cautiously into a vast chamber. The room was dimly lit, with only the moonlight seeping through the large windows, casting faint shadows on the walls.

Carefully, she approached the grand bed in the center of the room. There, a middle-aged man lay weakly, his face pale, his breaths labored. The once-commanding gaze in his eyes was now dull, as if the will to live had slowly faded.

"Dad..." her soft voice broke the silence.

The man’s eyelids trembled before slowly opening. His blurry eyes struggled to recognize the figure calling him.

"...Cecil?" His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. He tried to move his hand, but his strength had long since abandoned him. "Don’t..."

The young woman, Cecilia Arleon, remained standing beside the bed, her expression unreadable. "No, Dad. Everything is going according to plan," she said softly, yet with unwavering certainty.

Marquis Arleon tried to speak again, but only a weak breath escaped. His dim eyes quivered as if trying to deny the reality unfolding before him.

Cecilia knelt by the bedside, her fingers gently touching his frail hand. "Rest, Dad. I will take over from here."

A faint smile graced her lips, but her eyes remained cold, filled with calculation.

Cecilia strode through the mansion’s corridors with steady steps, her dark cloak trailing behind her. The dim torchlight along the walls cast long shadows that followed her movements, as if mirroring the mystery she carried.

Upon reaching a secluded room in the corner of the mansion, she knocked twice before pushing the door open. Inside, a man lounged in a chair near the window, waiting with an expression of boredom.

"I think it would be better to put him to eternal sleep rather than delay like this, Cecil," he said bluntly, twirling a small dagger in his hand. His sharp eyes studied Cecilia, as if seeking her approval.

Cecilia sighed, closing the door behind her before stepping closer. "No, not yet," she stated firmly, leaning against the wooden table in the center of the room. "I’ve done my part. Shouldn’t I receive my share now?"

"Fine... Besides, this is for that share."

"I understand what you mean. We can’t let him find out what’s really hidden there."

"If only your father hadn’t sold that territory, this job would’ve been much easier."

"Yes, I know... You mean the Rune Stone? We only discovered it about three months ago."

Rune Stone—a rare magical material, spoken of only in legends and found in extremely limited quantities around the world. This stone served as the primary component in crafting high-tier magical artifacts, making it one of the most valuable commodities in existence.

Lawrence Territory, long known only for its agricultural wealth and common mining resources, turned out to be hiding something far greater. The discovery began when a miner in the southern hills accidentally unearthed a glowing ore with ancient runes etched across its surface. Further excavation suggested a vast deposit of these stones lay buried beneath the land.

What was more surprising, however, was how Cecil knew about this before the territory’s rightful owner, Arkan Lawrence, did.

Cecilia lifted her teacup gracefully, her eyes never leaving the man across from her. "How did you obtain this information?"

The man smirked. "I have connections in the Northern Empire. Certain people are always looking for valuable materials—especially ones like Rune Stones... and also, those with interests in high-tier magical artifacts."

Cecilia took a slow sip of her tea. She had expected that answer, yet something else intrigued her more.

"And these people... are they part of the Evil God’s Sect?" she asked calmly, though the air in the room suddenly felt heavier.

The man didn’t answer immediately, but his smirk widened, as if concealing something deeper. "You always catch on quickly, Cecil."

Cecilia placed her cup down soundlessly, then leaned back in her chair. The flickering candlelight cast soft glows across the room, reflecting off the family portraits hanging on the wall.

"When will we begin the attack?" she asked, her tone steady, yet something lurked behind it—a plan, a calculated next move.

The man grinned, resting a fingertip against his lips as if in thought. "Not we, Cecil," he corrected leisurely. "You must create a reason for Marquis Arleon to attack Lawrence. This must appear natural—there can be no suspicions leading back to us."

Cecilia’s lips curled into a faint smile. "That was always part of my plan," she replied, glancing out the window at the high-hanging moon. "But there’s a problem. Father has already established a trade contract with Arkan. If we act recklessly, it will raise too many questions."

The man nodded slowly, allowing her to continue.

"I need something convincing, something that will make Lawrence Territory appear as a threat. And I’ve already found a way." Cecilia crossed her legs, her fingers idly tracing the rim of her porcelain cup. "We can sabotage the wine shipment bound for the Northern Empire—make it seem as though Arkan attacked his own trade caravan. It would be even better if we planted evidence implicating his men."

The man chuckled, clearly entertained by the scheme. "Attacking his own trade... and then framing him as the perpetrator?" He shook his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with intrigue. "Brilliant. That way, Arkan won’t just lose the trust of the nobility, but also provoke a response from the Empire."

Cecilia touched her lips with a single finger, her eyes narrowing as if calculating the odds in her mind. "It’s the best course of action. Father is too weak to understand how the world truly works. I just need to push things a little... and the rest will fall into place."

The man leaned back in his chair, his expression growing more serious. "And if Arkan catches wind of this trap?"

Cecilia’s smile turned colder. "Then I’ll make sure he doesn’t have enough time to prove otherwise."

The two of them smirked in the dimly lit room, unaware that someone had been listening just outside the window.

Florence narrowed her eyes, carefully taking in every word before swiftly retreating, disappearing without a trace into the night—heading straight for Arkan’s inn.

###

Arkan leaned back in his chair, tapping the table lightly with his fingertips, contemplating the information Florence had just delivered.

"Clever," he said in a flat tone. "Framing me for attacking my own trade caravan and then letting the news spread to the Northern Empire? That wouldn’t just shatter the merchants’ trust—it would also give them a reason to interfere."

Across the table, Rainer observed him with a serious expression. "Then, what’s our next move?"

Arkan smirked slightly, though there was no warmth behind it. "Before that, Florence, was there anything else interesting about their conversation?"

Florence crossed her arms, her expression unwavering. "Aside from the fact that Cecilia seemed completely confident in her plan? There’s only one thing that stood out as suspicious."

Arkan raised an eyebrow. "What was it?"

Florence met his gaze directly. "The man with her."

The room fell into a deeper silence.

"He’s no ordinary person," Florence continued. "His posture, the way he speaks... That’s not how a typical noble acts. He carried himself like someone used to controlling things from the shadows. He didn’t even mention his name."

Arkan exhaled, closing his eyes briefly. "So, Cecilia isn’t acting alone. There’s a mastermind behind her."

Rainer clenched his fists, his expression growing more intense. "Then we have to act before their trap is set."

Arkan opened his eyes, glancing between Florence and Rainer. "We won’t stop their plan."

Florence frowned. "What do you mean?"

A sly grin appeared on Arkan’s lips as he met their gazes. "We’ll let them attack the wine caravan just as they planned. But this time, we’ll make sure they dig their own graves."

Florence studied him carefully, her eyes filled with caution. "So we’re not going to prevent it?"

"Not directly," Arkan said, leaning back in his chair. "We’re going to use it to our advantage."

Rainer let out a slow breath, clearly not entirely fond of the deception in this approach. "How exactly?"

Arkan cast his gaze toward the window, staring at the moon hanging high in the night sky. "Cecilia wants to frame me, making me look guilty in the eyes of the Northern Empire. But what if, when they attack, the evidence points back at them instead?"

Florence nodded slowly, beginning to see his intent. "You want to plant proof that turns the accusation against them?"

"Something like that," Arkan took a sip of his now-cooling tea. "But more than that, I want to find out who that man with her really is. He’s clearly not just an ordinary advisor."

Florence exhaled lightly. "From the way he spoke, he’s not a noble. But he’s also not a soldier. His movements... were too calm. Like someone used to working in the shadows."

Arkan narrowed his eyes. "Interesting. He could be part of the Black Hand or another organization operating under the Empire."

Rainer tapped his fingers against the table, piecing together the fragments of their intel. "And if that’s the case, then this is bigger than just Cecilia’s ambitions. There’s a greater agenda at play."

Arkan smirked slightly, as if this revelation only made things more intriguing. "Alright, we’ll execute this plan carefully. Florence, keep your spies on them. I need to know when and how they plan to move."

Florence nodded without hesitation. "I’ll handle it immediately."

Arkan then turned to Rainer. "You, prepare a small unit. We won’t intervene directly, but I want us to have the upper hand if anything goes off track."

Rainer studied him for a moment before smirking faintly. "You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?"

Arkan chuckled. "How could I not? This is like a chess game, and I won’t let them make a move without countering it."

However, deep down, one thought still lingered in Arkan’s mind.

Rune Stone, huh...? Does it really exist in Lawrence Territory?

If it did, then this wasn’t just about turning Cecilia’s trap against her. This was about ensuring that such a valuable resource didn’t fall into the wrong hands.

Considering what he knew from the novel—even though the storyline had changed—some things still seemed to remain in place.

And that meant the potential of his domain was far greater than he had ever imagined.