Episode 32| The first Domino
Chapter 32: The First Domino (Part I)
The silver rings glimmered softly in Riley's palm.
She stared at them for a long moment, her reflection wavering in the polished bronze mirror that hung inside her modest bedroom.
For the past week, she had lived as herself-Riley Scott.
She had worn dresses instead of robes, let her long golden hair fall freely down her back, visited her father, stood proudly beside Raymond at their engagement, and, for the first time since arriving in this world, allowed herself to breathe without constantly looking over her shoulder.
That brief freedom was over.
She slipped the first ring onto her finger.
A gentle pulse of magic spread through her body.
Her long golden hair slowly shortened until it rested neatly above her shoulders.
Her soft feminine features sharpened ever so slightly, her frame becoming leaner and broader.
The transformation wasn't drastic enough to make her another person-it simply turned Riley into what looked like her handsome twin brother.
Her emerald-green eyes remained exactly the same.
They had always been the one feature the artifacts could never change.
Riley smiled faintly at the reflection staring back.
"...Welcome back, Ryan."
The voice sounded lower.
Calmer.
Brother Ryan Scott looked back from the mirror, every bit the promising young priest the Temple had come to admire.
She adjusted the collar of her pristine white robes before fastening the silver emblem of the Temple to her chest.
For a moment, she simply stood there.
The room was silent.
Then her thoughts drifted back to the dream she could no longer dismiss as merely a dream.
Athena.
The Goddess of Light.
"The world collapsed because the Saintess failed."
"Destroy the High Priest before Asmedious awakens."
Riley closed her eyes.
"I've been distracted..."
She admitted it to herself.
There had been dates.
Political games.
An engagement.
Scams.
Embarrassing encounters with the three male leads.
She had almost forgotten why she had chosen this path in the first place.
The old Riley had become consumed by romance.
She couldn't make the same mistake.
"No more losing sight of the mission."
She tightened her fist.
"The Temple comes first."
Only after the High Priest fell...
Only after Asmedious was destroyed...
Only then would she allow herself to think about happiness.
Raymond could wait.
Love could wait.
The world couldn't.
---
The Temple of Light stood as magnificently as ever beneath the morning sun.
Its marble walls shimmered like polished ivory, while countless stained-glass windows painted the stone floors with gentle hues of gold, blue and crimson.
Ryan stepped through the enormous gates.
Immediately, several familiar faces noticed her.
"Brother Ryan!"
She turned.
A young priest hurried over carrying a stack of scrolls.
It was Brother Elias.
He grinned brightly.
"We thought you weren't returning until tomorrow."
Ryan chuckled.
"I finished my family matters sooner than expected."
"I'm glad."
Elias sighed dramatically.
"The senior priests have been making us copy donation records all week."
Ryan laughed.
"I leave for a few days and everyone suddenly has to work harder?"
"Exactly."
"You should take leave more often."
Ryan shook her head.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that."
The two shared a laugh before continuing inside.
Moments like these always surprised Riley.
At first, every smile had been calculated.
Every conversation carefully planned.
She had wanted to become popular enough to manipulate the Temple from within.
Yet somewhere along the journey...
Ryan had stopped being an act.
The friendships were real.
The concern in their voices wasn't manufactured.
Neither was hers.
It made what she planned to do next all the more difficult.
---
The dining hall buzzed with conversation.
Dozens of priests ate breakfast before beginning their daily assignments.
Ryan collected a simple tray of toasted bread, eggs and fruit before looking around.
"Brother Ryan!"
Brother Thomas waved enthusiastically from one of the larger tables.
Sister Evelyn, the only nun at the temple sat beside him, along with six other lower-ranking priests.
Ryan walked over.
"Good morning."
Everyone greeted her warmly.
One of the younger priests looked almost relieved.
"I heard your sister got engaged to His Highness."
Ryan smiled modestly.
"She did."
"I still can't believe it."
Thomas shook his head.
"Imagine finding out your twin sister is marrying the future Emperor."
Ryan scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I was surprised too."
That much wasn't a lie.
Evelyn leaned forward.
"So..."
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"So?"
"Is Lady Riley really as beautiful as everyone says?"
The entire table suddenly became quiet.
Ryan nearly choked on her tea.
"...That's a strange question."
"It isn't!"
Another priest immediately protested.
"The servants who attended the engagement said Lady Riley looked like the Goddess herself."
"They're exaggerating."
"They also said she looks exactly like you."
Ryan smiled nervously.
"We're twins."
"I suppose that's normal."
Thomas folded his arms thoughtfully.
"I don't know..."
"If I had a twin sister that beautiful..."
"I'd probably never leave the house."
The table erupted into laughter.
Ryan buried her face behind her teacup.
Please stop complimenting me to... me.
This is so awkward.
---
Once breakfast settled down, conversation shifted naturally toward Temple affairs.
Brother Elias sighed.
"I've got another healing request rejected yesterday."
Ryan looked up.
"Rejected?"
"It came from a farming village."
Thomas nodded.
"They couldn't afford the required donation."
Ryan frowned.
"Did anyone go anyway?"
"No."
Silence lingered over the table.
Finally Ryan spoke quietly.
"...Do you ever wonder..."
"...whether we're forgetting why the Goddess gave us these gifts?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Not because they disagreed.
Because they had all asked themselves that question before.
Thomas broke the silence.
"I became a priest to help people."
"So did I, that's why I became a nun" Evelyn admitted.
"But the higher you climb..."
"...the more rules there seem to be."
Ryan tore a piece of bread.
"I've always believed..."
"...that light shouldn't care whether someone is rich or poor."
Brother Elias nodded slowly.
"My mother used to say the same thing."
Ryan smiled.
"Wise woman."
Thomas looked around before lowering his voice.
"Sometimes..."
"I wonder where all the donations actually go."
The table immediately became silent again.
Ryan deliberately didn't answer.
Instead...
She simply looked thoughtful.
Then quietly changed the subject.
"The harvest festival starts next month, doesn't it?"
Just like that...
The heavy atmosphere dispersed.
The conversation continued naturally.
No accusations.
No conspiracies.
Only one dangerous question left lingering inside everyone's minds.
Where do the donations actually go?
Ryan hid a small smile.
One seed planted.
Many more to go.
Outside the dining hall, unnoticed by everyone inside...
A senior priest had stopped walking.
He had heard every word.
Rather than feeling angry...
He looked thoughtful.
Very thoughtful.
He quietly turned around and walked away without saying a single word.
Ryan never noticed him.
Nor did she realize...
The first domino had already begun to fall.
Hi my lovelies, here's an update...I decided to make the temple people call Each other "Brother/sister" I believe that's how temples work ??anyway enjoy the episode Mwah ??.