Elara returned to the market the following day, her steps light and unhurried, but her mind sharp and focused. The faithful were creatures of habit, and she knew that those she had spoken to the previous day would be here again, repeating their routines like clockwork. All she had to do was water the seeds of doubt she had planted.
As she wandered through the familiar stalls, Elara's eyes sought out her targets. The group of older women were at the vegetable stand once more, discussing the day's sermon in hushed tones.
Nearby, the middle-aged man from yesterday was inspecting a bundle of herbs. She noted how easily they blended into the backdrop of the bustling market—just like her. They, too, were part of the system she was determined to unravel.
She approached the women first, her demeanor as warm and open as before. "Good morning, again," she greeted them with a smile. "It seems we keep running into each other."
The women smiled back, their guarded expressions softening at the sight of her. "Ah, Elara! Good to see you again," one of them said cheerfully.
Elara glanced at the temple in the distance, her tone once again casual, as if she were simply making conversation. "I couldn't help but think about what we talked about yesterday," she said lightly. "About the priests acting strange."
One of the women frowned slightly, tilting her head. "Oh? What did you notice?"
Elara hesitated, then gave a small, almost embarrassed laugh. "It's probably nothing, but... when I was there last night, I noticed that one of the younger priests—what was his name, Brother Theon, I think?—he looked so distracted, almost... distant. As if his mind was elsewhere."
The women exchanged uneasy glances. "I've noticed that too," one of them admitted quietly. "It's strange, isn't it? They're always so focused during the sermons."
Elara nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Exactly. It made me wonder if something's going on behind the scenes, something they're not telling us. But, of course, that's just speculation."
One of the women frowned deeper, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Do you think... something's wrong with the temple?"
Elara's heart leaped with joy at the question, though she kept her expression neutral. "I hope not," she said softly, her voice full of concern. "But I think it's important to trust our instincts, don't you? After all, The Order has always encouraged us to be vigilant."
The older woman nodded slowly, her eyes troubled. "Yes... you're right."
Satisfied that the seed of doubt was deepening, Elara excused herself from the group with a polite nod and continued on her way.
Her next target was the middle-aged man she had spoken with the previous day. He was standing by a spice vendor, carefully inspecting a pouch of ground herbs.
Elara approached him with a friendly smile. "Good day," she greeted, casually picking up a bundle of rosemary to examine. "I didn't expect to see you here again so soon."
The man glanced up, returning her smile with a nod. "Ah, yes, I've run out of a few things."
Elara continued the small talk for a moment, letting the conversation flow naturally before she made her next move. "You know," she said thoughtfully, "I've been thinking about what we talked about yesterday—the temple and the sermons. Something's been bothering me since then."
The man's brows furrowed in curiosity. "Oh? What's that?"
"Well," she began, lowering her voice slightly, as if confiding a personal concern. "It's just... Do you ever feel like there's something more going on with the priests? Something they're not telling us?"
The man's expression darkened slightly, his lips tightening. "What do you mean?"
Elara hesitated, playing her role carefully. "I don't want to make baseless accusations, but... it feels like some of the priests are holding back. Like they're hiding something from the faithful. I've noticed it in their eyes during the sermons. They're not as... sincere as they used to be."
The man frowned, his gaze drifting toward the temple in the distance. "Now that you mention it, I've seen something similar. Brother Thomas, one of the older priests, used to be so passionate during the sermons. But lately, it's like he's just going through the motions."
Elara nodded, giving him a look of shared concern. "Exactly. It's unsettling, isn't it? I can't help but wonder if there's more going on behind the scenes than we realize."
The man was quiet for a moment, clearly processing her words. Elara could see the doubt taking root, the flicker of unease deepening in his eyes. He glanced around the market as if expecting someone to overhear them, his voice dropping lower.
"Do you think... the temple hiding something from us?"
Elara shrugged lightly, her tone soft and uncertain. "I don't know. But I think it's worth paying attention to. We've always trusted them without question, but... maybe we should start asking a few questions ourselves."
The man nodded slowly, his expression serious. "You might be right."
Satisfied that her influence was deepening, Elara left him with a friendly smile and continued her walk through the market. Her heart raced with a quiet thrill.
Each conversation, each subtle hint, was another step toward undermining the Order's power over the faithful. And the best part was, none of them had any idea they were being manipulated.
She moved from stall to stall, repeating the process with other faithful members she had spoken to before, always careful to keep her remarks casual and unobtrusive. She never pushed too hard, never gave them reason to suspect her true motives.
Instead, she let her dark arts do the work, slipping into their thoughts like a shadow, planting the seeds of doubt so subtly they would never know it was there.
By the time she left the market that afternoon, Elara knew her plan was working. The faithful were beginning to question, to wonder. It wouldn't be long before that doubt spread, slowly eroding the Order's control from within.
And when the time is ripe, she will strike.