Episode 8| The first Scam!
Weeks had passed since Riley—disguised as Ryan—had settled into the temple.
The careful balance of appearing obedient while quietly observing the inner workings of the institution had become second nature.
Yet, the cunning mind of Mikayla Edwin, reborn in this world, was already hatching its first real plan.
Her target? The temple itself.
---
That evening, Riley went to the other secret tavern located at the capital where Frankie waited. The masked man leaned casually against the wall, one gloved hand resting on the edge of the bar.
“You’re punctual,” Frankie said, voice low but amused.
“I like to be,” Riley replied with a sly smile.
The plan had already formed in her mind: exploit the temple’s greed without raising suspicion. And Frankie would play the perfect threatening intermediary—someone no one dared cross.
“I need your help again,” Riley began. “The temple has been robbing the orphanages and exploiting their own territories. I want them to pay.”
Frankie’s eyes—hidden beneath the mask—gleamed with amusement.
“You want them scared,” he said, guessing her intentions.
Riley nodded. “I report this to the High Priest as an urgent matter, looking helpless and concerned. You show up as the threat. They pay the lump sum to satisfy you, thinking it’s a dire situation.”
Frankie chuckled softly. “Classic. And you profit?”
Riley grinned. “Of course. But half goes to you.”
The masked man tapped the side of his mask, suppressing laughter. “Fifty-fifty, you say? Are you sure about that, young lady?”
“You know me, Frankie. I’m generous… sometimes,” Riley teased. “But if it amuses you, you can watch me keep all of it.”
Frankie tilted his head slightly, intrigued, and let the statement hang in the air.
“Very well,” he said, simply enjoying the cleverness of it. “I’ll make my appearance in two days.”
---
Back at the temple, Riley executed the plan flawlessly.
“Your Holiness,” Ryan said, bowing deeply. “There’s been a report from the orphanages. They’ve been exploited. They require immediate attention and compensation.”
The High Priest frowned, annoyed. “Exploitations? By whom?”
Riley shook his head innocently. “I’m not sure, Your Holiness. But if we don’t act quickly, the guild overseeing these territories may intervene. They’re… well, formidable.”
The subtle tension in Riley’s words was carefully crafted, just enough to raise concern.
Two days later, Frankie arrived, though no one dared approach him. The masked figure, known to all as a powerful enforcer in his territories, made sure the temple took the matter seriously.
Funds were immediately released to “pay off” the supposed threat.
Riley’s lips curved into a subtle, triumphant smile as she received the gold. No one suspected the truth.
Later, she met Frankie in the shadows of the city to split the haul.
“Half?” Riley asked, holding out the coin pouch.
Frankie laughed softly, shaking his head. “You amuse me. Keep it all, if it pleases you.”
Riley’s grin widened. “I will,” she replied, slipping the coins into her bag.
---
That night, back in her room, Riley carefully counted the gold. A sense of satisfaction settled over her.
She sent a portion immediately to her father, Gerald, ensuring he had enough to live comfortably and even upgrade his shop.
The rest, she distributed among the orphanages that had been robbed or neglected by the temple. Children slept easier, and families had food once more.
Riley leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes.
This is just the beginning.
Her cunning plan had succeeded, the first of many. With her artifact maintaining the disguise, the Archmage none the wiser, and the temple completely unaware of the web she was weaving, Riley—once Mikayla Edwin—felt a thrill that reminded her of the life she had left behind.
Only now, her conquests served justice.
And the thought of combining clever scams with holy magic, all while climbing the temple ranks, filled her with a sense of purpose she had never felt before.