Chapter 95: Plans in the Dark

Chapter 95: Chapter 95: Plans in the Dark

They didn’t even need to make use of Damon yet.

And everything was already moving in their favor.

The crystals had been planted over a long period of time, hidden among materials that had legitimate uses. Their man inside the family had the perfect position and enough access to make sure nobody questioned what he was doing.

The plan had been simple.

Slowly increase the Ice Aether around the Birthground and the Winterbourne territory.

Let the Frostveil Expanse continue changing.

Then let the beasts come.

The last opportunity had been when Caelia entered the Birthground.

She had successfully contracted a spirit, but that success had also created the perfect situation for the next stage of their plan.

A stronger tide.

The Winterbourne family would be forced to spend more resources defending itself, while the Frostveil Expanse continued to worsen.

Everything had been going exactly as planned.

Until Damon appeared.

"He ruined everything."

The leader’s voice was filled with anger.

One of the people sitting nearby spoke carefully.

"He didn’t just discover the crystals. He connected them to the beast waves."

"And the family head immediately acted."

Another person added.

"Marcus was exposed before we could move again."

Silence followed.

That was the biggest problem.

Marcus had been perfect for the role.

As the Keeper of Resources, he had access to storage, supplies and records. He could move the crystals around without drawing attention.

And he had done it for years.

But Damon had noticed something nobody else had.

Now the entire Winterbourne family was searching.

Their people inside the mansion had already reported the changes.

Some had been detained.

Others had been restricted from certain areas.

Even servants had been questioned and reassigned.

The family head had moved quickly.

Too quickly.

"That old man is a problem," someone muttered.

"He always has been."

The leader looked at him.

"Don’t blame the family head. Blame the man who failed to notice Damon."

The room became quiet again.

Nobody wanted to take responsibility.

The plan had been carefully built over years, yet one unexpected variable had nearly broken it apart.

Damon.

They had underestimated him.

That was something they couldn’t afford to do again.

One of the men finally spoke.

"Then we remove him."

The leader shook his head.

"We can’t."

The man’s expression changed.

"Why not?"

"Because half our people who had access to him are already being watched."

The leader leaned back.

"Some have been detained. Others have lost access to his room, food and supplies. The family head has even tightened the security around the guest quarters."

He paused.

"Trying to poison him now would be stupid."

Nobody argued.

They had also received reports about Damon’s strength.

His performance during the previous beast attack had already changed their understanding of him.

He wasn’t just some helpless stranger with a strange ability.

He had fought.

And he had killed.

A direct assassination attempt would only waste another group of people.

They needed something else.

Fortunately, there was still one thing they could use.

The incoming beast wave.

A messenger stepped forward.

"The beasts have started moving."

Every person in the room looked toward him.

"From the Frostveil Expanse?"

"Yes."

"How many?"

"We don’t know yet."

The messenger swallowed.

"But the number is already higher than the previous tide."

For the first time, some of the anger in the room disappeared.

The situation wasn’t perfect.

Their preparations had been disrupted.

Several crystals had been discovered.

Their infiltrator had been exposed.

But the beasts were still coming.

And that gave them an opportunity.

The leader slowly smiled.

"The Winterbournes have improved their defenses."

"They have."

"They’ll be ready for the beasts."

"Most likely."

Another person frowned.

"Then what’s the point?"

The leader looked at him.

"Damon."

Everyone understood.

They couldn’t simply kill him.

But they didn’t need to.

If they could separate him from the mansion, things would become much easier.

They had already seen what he could do.

If Damon remained near the Winterbourne family, he could destroy large groups of beasts before they reached the defenses.

That was the problem.

"So we keep him busy."

The words came from someone near the end of the table.

The leader nodded.

"Exactly."

Another man leaned forward.

"We send more beasts toward him."

"Not just more."

The leader’s smile widened.

"We make sure he has a reason to keep fighting."

That was when the room became quieter.

They began putting ideas together.

They didn’t need Damon to trust them.

They didn’t need to approach him directly.

They only needed to understand the kind of person he was.

Someone who had already risked himself to protect Caelia.

Someone who had entered the Frostveil crisis despite having no obligation to the Winterbourne family.

Someone who saw danger and still moved toward it when he believed there was something worth gaining.

That kind of person could be led.

"He won’t ignore a group of beasts heading toward someone he wants to protect."

"Then make the group large enough."

"He’ll stay and fight."

"And if he keeps fighting?"

"Then we keep sending them."

Someone frowned.

"And the mansion?"

The leader’s expression became cold.

"That’s what the second part is for."

Nobody asked him to explain.

They already understood that the real plan wasn’t simply about the beasts.

Several more suggestions followed.

Different approaches.

Different ways to separate Damon from the mansion.

Different ways to make him believe he was helping while unknowingly moving exactly where they wanted him.

The room slowly became calmer.

Their earlier frustration was disappearing.

They had lost the advantage they had spent years building.

But they hadn’t lost everything.

The beast wave was coming.

And Damon was still there.

That was enough.

The leader finally leaned back.

"We don’t need to defeat him."

His eyes moved across the room.

"We only need to make sure he’s somewhere else when the Winterbourne family needs him most."

Nobody spoke after that.

The details of the plan were still being worked out.

But one thing was certain.

The next attack wouldn’t be like the last one.

And this time, Damon would be part of the plan.