Ch 220: All for the Goddess- Part 2

The Grand Priest descended the pristine marble stairs of the Holy Temple, his expression calm and beatific. 

As he passed through the gilded halls, lower-ranking clergy and temple servants bowed their heads and greeted him with reverence. 

He returned each gesture with a soft smile, his voice kind and encouraging.

"Blessings be upon you. May the Goddess's light guide you always." 

He murmured, his hands clasped lightly at his chest. 

To all eyes, he was the very image of a benevolent leader—compassionate, wise, unshaken.

But the deeper he walked beneath the temple, the thinner that mask grew.

By the time he reached the cold, narrow staircase leading down to the basement, his smile had faded completely. 

His expression hardened into something colder, calculating.

He unlocked the heavy iron door at the end of the stairwell and stepped into a dimly lit room, where the stone walls were lined with faintly glowing runes.