Ch 105: Underhanded Tactics - Part 2

Romus's gaze hardened slightly, though his voice remained calm. "And if I refuse?"

Lady Elsin's lips curled into a thin smile. "Let us not pretend, Father Romus. The temple relies on the patronage of the noble families. 

Without our support, your influence would crumble. We have the power to ensure that your name—and the name of this temple—falls into disrepute."

For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of their threat hanging in the air. But then, to the nobles' surprise, Romus chuckled softly. It was not the nervous laugh of a man cowed by power, but the knowing amusement of someone who had seen through their facade.

"My lords and ladies," Romus said, his voice firm and steady, "your threats do not intimidate me. For too long, the temple has bowed to the whims of nobility, sacrificing its purpose in exchange for fleeting favors. That ends now."

The nobles exchanged shocked glances, unprepared for this sudden defiance.