Episode 35| The second domino Tilts
The High Priest remained standing in the center of his chamber long after the shadow investigator had departed.
The room had grown unnaturally cold.
Candles flickered despite there being no breeze.
The black shadow pooling beneath his feet slowly expanded across the marble floor before taking on the vague silhouette of a horned figure.
No face.
No body.
Only two crimson eyes opened within the darkness.
Asmedious.
The High Priest lowered his head respectfully.
"...My Lord."
A low chuckle echoed throughout the chamber.
"It has been many years since I last heard my true name spoken by a mortal."
The High Priest clenched his fists.
"I erased every record."
"I ordered ancient texts burned."
"I silenced those who knew."
"So how...?"
The demon's laughter subsided.
"You erased what men wrote."
"You cannot erase history itself."
The High Priest frowned.
"You believe someone discovered an overlooked record?"
"No."
The demon's voice became quieter.
Far more dangerous.
"Someone was looking for me."
The words hung heavily in the room.
The High Priest felt his heartbeat quicken.
"You mean..."
"Coincidence does not exist when divine beings become involved."
The shadow's crimson eyes narrowed.
"Tell me..."
"...who first uttered my name?"
The High Priest answered immediately.
"A priest."
"A mid-level priest."
"Ryan Scott."
Silence.
Then-
Asmedious laughed.
Not loudly.
Not mockingly.
Almost... thoughtfully.
"The young priest."
"Yes."
"He entered the Temple several months ago."
"Since then..."
The High Priest paused.
His brows knitted together.
"...things have changed."
The demon waited.
"Donations have mysteriously disappeared."
"The poor have begun receiving aid through unknown benefactors."
"Several nobles who once depended solely upon me recovered without my intervention."
"The Countess Marilyn's illness vanished overnight."
"My lower priests have begun questioning Temple doctrine."
"And now..."
"He somehow discovers my true name."
The chamber fell silent again.
The High Priest spoke the words he had been trying to ignore.
"...Everything began after Ryan entered the Temple."
---
The demon remained silent for several moments.
When he finally spoke...
His voice carried an unfamiliar note of caution.
"And yet..."
"...you still believe Ryan to be merely a priest?"
The High Priest hesitated.
"He has demonstrated only moderate holy power."
"I've observed him personally."
"Nothing extraordinary."
"He cannot be the Saintess."
The crimson eyes glowed brighter.
"No..."
"...he cannot."
The demon slowly continued.
"But..."
"...there is another."
The High Priest's expression hardened.
"...Riley Scott."
---
The room grew even colder.
The High Priest recalled the engagement ceremony.
The first time he had seen Riley Scott.
Golden hair.
Emerald eyes.
A beauty so radiant that many nobles had compared her to the Goddess herself.
Then...
That strange feeling.
The same discomfort he experienced whenever Ryan stood nearby.
At first, he had dismissed it.
Twins often shared similar auras.
Didn't they?
But now...
The coincidence seemed almost impossible.
"I sensed rejection."
He muttered.
"As though my holy magic..."
"No."
He corrected himself.
"...as though my power was being rejected."
The demon answered immediately.
"Because it was."
The High Priest slowly raised his head.
"Holy power blessed directly by a Goddess naturally rejects demonic influence."
"You merely mistook that rejection for discomfort."
His breathing became heavier.
"So..."
"...Riley truly may be..."
The demon finished the sentence.
"The Saintess."
---
The High Priest began pacing.
"If she truly possesses such power..."
"Why hasn't the Temple detected it?"
"Why has she never awakened publicly?"
"Why would she hide?"
The demon's crimson eyes narrowed.
"That..."
"...is what troubles me."
The High Priest stopped.
"My Lord?"
"The prophecy stated..."
"...the Saintess should have appeared long ago."
"She should have become the Temple's brightest light."
"She should have been under your control by now."
Silence.
"Instead..."
"...she remains hidden."
"...as though someone deliberately avoided fate."
The High Priest felt unease creeping into his heart.
Even Asmedious sounded uncertain.
---
Finally...
The High Priest spoke the thought that had haunted him for weeks.
"...Could Ryan know?"
The demon looked thoughtful.
"Know what?"
"That Riley is the Saintess."
Another silence followed.
Then-
"Perhaps."
The High Priest frowned.
"But they're twins."
"It would be natural if she confided in him."
The demon gave a slow nod.
"Which makes Ryan..."
"...dangerous."
The High Priest narrowed his eyes.
"Dangerous?"
"Not because of his strength."
"...but because he may unknowingly become the Saintess's greatest shield."
---
A slow smile spread across the High Priest's face.
"So..."
"I don't need to move against Ryan."
"I simply need to watch him."
"If Riley truly is the Saintess..."
"...she will eventually reveal herself."
The demon chuckled.
"Exactly."
"Observe."
"Do not strike prematurely."
"Even prey eventually returns to the hunter."
The High Priest bowed.
"As you command."
The shadow slowly retreated into the floor.
Before disappearing completely...
Asmedious spoke one final sentence.
One that caused even the High Priest's blood to run cold.
"But remember this..."
"...if the Saintess has already mastered her holy power..."
"...she may already know about me."
The chamber fell deathly silent.
---
Outside...
The evening bells echoed across the Temple grounds.
Ryan walked peacefully through the gardens, stopping to help an elderly groundskeeper carry buckets of water.
She laughed as the old man insisted he was still strong enough to carry them himself.
To everyone watching...
Brother Ryan was exactly what a priest should be.
Kind.
Gentle.
Selfless.
High above, standing on the balcony of the tallest tower...
The High Priest watched every movement.
His expression was unreadable.
"...Who are you..."
"...Ryan Scott?"
Far below...
Ryan glanced toward the tower for only a brief moment.
A faint smile touched her lips.
He's watching me now.
Good.
Keep watching.
While you're watching me...
You'll never notice your empire crumbling beneath your feet.
The first domino had fallen.
Neither of them realized...
The second had already begun to tilt.