Extra's Revenge: Reincarnated As A Slave-Chapter 119: Conspiracy Unveiled

The meeting took place in a lavish private chamber within the Blue Lotus House’s most secure establishment—a floating structure in the Deep Market that phased between spaces, making surveillance nearly impossible.

Ornate furniture filled the room, each piece worth more than most people earned in a year.

Crystal decanters held expensive liquors, and the air itself was perfumed with alchemical incense designed to promote clear thinking and prevent mystical eavesdropping.

Several figures sat around an oval table, their positions carefully arranged to reflect the power dynamics at play.

On one side sat representatives from the Blue Lotus House and Yellow Lily House. Lady Meridian of Blue Lotus was a woman in her forties with sharp features and calculating eyes, dressed in flowing silks that shimmered with embedded enchantments.

Across from her sat Lord Venn of Yellow Lily, a distinguished man whose pleasant smile masked a ruthless business acumen.

Between them sat the leadership of the Fanged Serpent Club—three individuals who had once served the Red House loyally before their carefully planned betrayal.

Their leader, a scarred man named Kael, radiated barely contained ambition.

The remaining seats held seven of the Red House’s Advisors.

Aldric sat at the head of this group, his expression neutral but his presence commanding. Brennan occupied the seat beside him, appearing uncomfortable but committed. Vera sat with predatory stillness, already calculating angles. The other four—advisors Rey had noted but not yet prioritized—completed the assembly of traitors.

"Let us review our current situation," Lady Meridian began, her voice carrying the authority of someone accustomed to orchestrating complex schemes. "The plan was straightforward—systematically weaken the Red House through coordinated pressure until they had no choice but to accept subordination to the Yellow Lily."

Lord Venn nodded. "With the Fanged Serpent providing inside information and the Blue Lotus sponsoring their aggressive expansion, we created a perfect vice. The Red House loses territory and revenue, becomes desperate, and accepts our ’generous’ offer of alliance."

"Which would have been the beginning of the end," Kael added with satisfaction. "Within a year, we absorb their operations completely. The Fanged Serpent becomes the new Red House, backed by both Blue Lotus and Yellow Lily. We control the largest consolidated territory in the Deep Market."

Aldric leaned forward, almost impatiently, to add: "And those of us who facilitated this transition would be rewarded with positions in the new structure. Better to be advisors in a thriving organization than to sink with a dying one."

"Precisely," Meridian confirmed. "Everyone benefits—Blue Lotus expands influence, Yellow Lily eliminates a competitor while appearing benevolent, Fanged Serpent achieves House status, and you seven secure your futures rather than facing the collapse that Lady Z’s incompetence would inevitably bring."

Brennan shifted uncomfortably at those words.

"I still maintain that Lady Z isn’t incompetent. She’s young and inexperienced, but she has her father’s strategic mind—"

"Which is irrelevant when she lacks the resources and backing to execute those strategies," Venn interrupted smoothly. "We’re not attacking her capabilities. We’re simply recognizing reality—the Red House cannot survive in its current state. What we’re offering is mercy compared to the alternative."

One of the other compromised advisors, a woman named Helena who managed recruitment, spoke up. "The plan was working perfectly until the attacks on Helt and Elara. That’s derailed everything."

The mood in the room shifted immediately, tension replacing the earlier satisfaction.

"Yes," Meridian said, her voice hardening. "Let’s discuss that complication. Two advisors who voted against the alliance were attacked by professional assassins on the same night. Lady Z immediately—and correctly—interpreted this as evidence that the alliance was part of a conspiracy."

"She used it to veto our majority vote," Aldric said, frustration clear in his tone. "Exercised her authority as House Head to place the alliance on indefinite hold. Now we’re stuck—we can’t push too hard without confirming her suspicions, but if we don’t maintain pressure, she’ll have time to investigate and expose our involvement."

Kael’s scarred face twisted with anger. "Who ordered those attacks? We agreed that eliminating opposition would be too obvious, too likely to trigger exactly this kind of response!"

"None of us gave that order," Venn said firmly. "Blue Lotus didn’t authorize it. Yellow Lily certainly didn’t—it goes against our entire strategy of appearing as saviors rather than aggressors."

"The Fanged Serpent had nothing to do with it," Kael insisted. "We wanted Helt and Elara to either be convinced or marginalized, not assassinated. That kind of direct action draws attention we can’t afford."

Vera’s eyes narrowed.

"Then who was responsible? Professional assassins don’t work for free, and the coordination suggests significant resources and planning."

Silence fell as the implications sank in.

"A mole," Helena finally said. "Someone within our conspiracy who acted independently, either out of misguided initiative or because they’re working for someone else."

"Or," Meridian countered, "an external party making a move on the Red House and using our conspiracy as cover. Think about it—we’ve been applying visible pressure for months. If another House wanted to strike at the Red House, this would be the perfect time. Any aggressive action gets attributed to us rather than them."

Aldric’s expression grew troubled. "Which of the other Houses would gain from this?"

"White Tulip competes with the Red House in information brokering," Venn mused. "But they lack the resources for this kind of operation. Purple Orchid has the muscle but no motive—weapon sales aren’t affected by House politics. Golden Sunflower..."

"Golden Sunflower has been unusually quiet lately," Brennan observed. "They normally compete aggressively for logistics contracts, but they’ve pulled back over the past few months."

"Building reserves for a major move?" Vera suggested. "If they’re planning to make a play for Red House territory, they’d want maximum resources available."

Kael slammed his hand on the table. "This is becoming too complicated. We had a clean plan—apply pressure, offer salvation, execute absorption. Now we have unknown actors, potential moles, and Lady Z digging for evidence of our involvement."

"We need to adapt," Meridian said firmly. "First priority: determine who ordered those assassinations. If it’s someone in this room acting independently, we need to know. If it’s an external party, we need to identify them and either neutralize their interference or incorporate them into our planning."

"And what about Lady Z’s investigation?" Aldric asked. "Elara is conducting audits, and she’s frighteningly competent. If she finds concrete evidence linking us to the Fanged Serpent or either of your Houses—"

"Then we accelerate the timeline," Venn interrupted. "Force the issue before she can compile actionable evidence. Create a crisis that makes the alliance absolutely necessary, something so urgent that Lady Z can’t refuse regardless of her suspicions."

Helena frowned. "Like what? We’ve already tried the assassination approach and it backfired spectacularly."

"Not assassination," Meridian said thoughtfully. "Something that threatens the Red House’s sponsor directly. If we can compromise their Noble backing, Lady Z will have no choice but to seek alternative protection immediately."

Kael nodded slowly. "The Red House’s sponsor is Lord Whitmore, the younger brother of Baron Raskallion. He’s maintained that relationship for decades, but he’s also deeply invested in maintaining his reputation. If we could create a scandal that made his association with the Red House politically toxic..."

"Then he’d withdraw support," Aldric finished. "And without Noble backing, we’d lose our House position within weeks. Lady Z would have to accept an alliance or watch everything collapse." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Brennan looked increasingly uncomfortable.

"This is getting very aggressive. We’re talking about attacking our own organization’s foundation—"

"We’re talking about survival," Vera cut him off sharply. "Either we control this transition or we all go down with the ship. I didn’t spend a decade building my position to lose everything because of misplaced loyalty to a girl who inherited power she can’t wield effectively."

The other compromised advisors murmured agreement, though Brennan’s discomfort remained visible.

"Let’s focus on immediate concerns," Meridian redirected. "Investigation into the assassinations—who has the resources and contacts to determine if this was internal or external?"

"I can leverage my enforcement connections," Vera offered. "Professional assassins leave trails. Someone hired them, someone equipped them, someone gave them intelligence on Helt and Elara’s locations and movements."

"I’ll examine financial flows," Brennan said reluctantly. "Large payments for assassination contracts would show up in the Dark Commerce District’s monetary patterns. If I can trace the funding..."

"Good," Venn approved. "Meanwhile, Blue Lotus and Yellow Lily will investigate whether any other Houses are making moves toward Red House territory. We need to know if we’re dealing with competition or interference."

Aldric pulled out a notebook, beginning to organize the action items.

"Timeframe for this investigation?"

"One week," Meridian decided. "We need answers quickly. The longer this uncertainty persists, the more time Lady Z has to—"

The chamber’s door exploded inward.

Not violently—there was no blast of force or mystical energy. The door simply ceased to exist, its physical matter redistributed across dimensional boundaries with the casual precision of overwhelming power.

Three figures stood in the doorway, their Category S Guard uniforms immediately recognizable.

The mystical pressure radiating from them made it clear these weren’t ordinary investigators.

—Special Investigators.

Selene stepped forward first, her expression pleasant but her eyes absolutely cold. Marcus and Thane flanked her, both radiating combat readiness beneath professional composure.

"Please, don’t let us interrupt," Selene said, her voice carrying false warmth. "This is an interesting conversation you’re all having."

She walked into the room as if she owned it, mystical wards that should have prevented entry simply failing to affect her at all. Behind her, Marcus and Thane took positions that cut off the room’s other exits.

"Tell us more," Selene continued, settling into an empty chair at the table. "Particularly about these assassinations, the conspiracy to undermine the Red House, and your plans to create scandals involving Noble sponsors."

She smiled, and it was the most terrifying expression any of the conspirators had ever seen.

They all shuddered instantly.

"We’re very interested in hearing all the details."