Desires & Heresy

The chapel was empty, save for the steady glow of candlelight licking the stone walls. Zane—no, Elias—stood at the altar, fingers absently trailing over the spine of a worn scripture. He had spent the better part of the day adjusting to his new life, learning the routines of a priest, and most importantly, keeping an eye on Celeste.

His first target.

The system's cold, clinical text still lingered in his thoughts.

[Mission: Corrupt a Holy Sister]

> [Target: Celeste]

> [Reward: Silver Tongue]

[Corruption Progress: 5%]

Just 5%. Barely a crack in her faith, but it was there. He had seen it in the way her fingers tightened around her rosary, in the fleeting hesitation in her voice.

The system had given him no time limit, but something told him Celeste wouldn't take long to unravel.

And he was looking forward to it.

Zane found her in the courtyard that afternoon, bathed in golden sunlight, her delicate frame kneeling amidst the wildflowers. The soft fabric of her robes clung to the gentle curve of her hips as she leaned forward, her silver-white braid slipping over her shoulder, teasing the exposed skin of her neck.

She was oblivious to how tempting she looked—her posture unknowingly sinful, the way the folds of her habit parted just enough to reveal the smooth line of her thigh beneath. Every small movement sent a ripple through her form, the sway of her body as she shifted, the unconscious press of her thighs together as if to resist something unseen.

Zane let his gaze linger, savoring the sight. The pure, untouched Sister Celeste, so devoted, so unaware of the way her innocence only made her more—

Desirable.

He stepped forward, his voice low, smooth. "Hard at work, Sister Celeste?"

She startled, looking up at him with those wide, innocent blue eyes—eyes that had no idea what kind of game she was now part of.

"Father Elias," she murmured. "I… I was just ensuring the garden was in good condition."

"Such dedication," he mused, crouching beside her. His amber eyes traced the subtle pull of fabric against her form—the way her modest robes stretched just enough to hint at the curves beneath. She was small, soft, untouched.

For now, at least.

Celeste fidgeted under his gaze, fingers tangling in her lap. "It is important to care for all of God's creations," she said, but her voice lacked conviction.

Zane let the silence settle, studying her. There was something about her unease—about the way she couldn't quite meet his eyes—that made his next move obvious.

"You seemed troubled last night."

Her breath hitched. He saw the way her lips parted slightly, how her fingers clutched at her robes. A flicker of something flashed in her eyes—guilt, maybe.

"I…" She hesitated. "It is nothing, Father."

Zane hummed. "Is it?"

She didn't answer, but her silence spoke louder than words.

[Corruption Progress: 7%]

A slow smirk tugged at his lips.

He didn't need to push too hard. Not yet. 

Doubt was a fragile thing, and if he pressed too quickly, she might cling to her faith even harder. No, Celeste needed to fall on her own.

So, he shifted tactics.

"You are very devoted, Celeste." His voice dropped slightly, softer, more intimate. "It is rare to find someone so unshaken in their faith."

She exhaled, and he noted how her body relaxed—just a little. "I only do what is right."

"And yet…" He tilted his head. "Even the righteous feel doubt."

Celeste stiffened. Her fingers twitched in her lap, her breath shallower than before. She was trying so hard to appear unmoved, but Zane saw the cracks forming.

"I—" She swallowed. "Doubt is a test of faith."

"Or," he countered smoothly, "it is a whisper of truth, breaking through the noise of blind devotion."

She inhaled sharply, eyes snapping up to his for just a moment before she looked away again. Her teeth caught her lower lip—subconsciously, nervously.

Zane smiled.

[Corruption Progress: 10%]

Oh, this was almost too easy.

He let the moment stretch, enjoying the way her mind wrestled with his words. Her faith told her to resist, but the seed had been planted.

"Perhaps," he mused, as if in passing, "the greatest test of faith is not in resisting doubt… but in questioning it."

Celeste's breath hitched.

She was so close to responding, to admitting something, when a bell rang in the distance—signaling the call for evening prayers.

She startled as if waking from a dream, hastily rising to her feet. "I—I should go," she stammered.

Zane didn't stop her. He simply watched as she all but fled, her hurried steps betraying the turmoil now brewing in her thoughts—hips shifting with each step, the modest fabric of her robes doing little to hide the subtle, natural sway beneath.

[Corruption Progress: 12%]

That night, as Celeste lay in her small chamber, staring at the ceiling, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

Father Elias.

His words echoed in her mind, wrapping around her thoughts like a serpent.

"Perhaps the greatest test of faith is not in resisting doubt… but in questioning it."

Why did those words unsettle her so much?

She was a woman of faith. She had always been sure of her devotion, her place in the church. But… when he spoke, it was like something deep inside her trembled.

She turned onto her side, fingers brushing her lips as if to hold back the warmth blooming in her chest.

He was a priest. A man of God.

And yet…

Celeste exhaled shakily, her hands curling into the sheets as she tried to silence the heat coiling in her belly. The memory of his voice—low, smooth, almost coaxing—sent an unbidden shiver down her spine.

She shifted beneath the thin sheets, her thighs rubbing together instinctively, desperate to ignore the warmth pooling between them. It was wrong. She knew it was wrong. But the way he had looked at her, the way his words lingered, wrapping around her mind like a whispered temptation…

She bit her lip.

And yet, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

[Corruption Progress: 15%]

[Progress Reward: Insight (Lv.1) – Can now sense emotions in corrupted targets]

Zane leaned back in his chair, watching as the system displayed his success. He had seen it in her eyes—she was unraveling, even if she didn't realize it yet.

This is going to be fun.