From the end of the Epidemic to the end of her life, Jezebel became the most important person in the kingdom, with the only exception (?) being the sovereign.
Her power within the priestly order was absolute; not even the high priest of the capital would have ever dared to oppose her. The introduction of the teachings of the Lost Book into the novices' education was only the first of her requests to be accepted, but it was just the beginning.
Riding the wave of fear caused by the epidemic, Jezebel managed in just a few years to radically change an educational structure that was centuries old. She began by making people accept the matriarchy, justifying it with the greater power of spellcasting found in women and relegating the male novitiate to a position of substantial subordination.
Then she reinforced the study of writing and ancient languages; after all, the lost book to which she owed her powers would have been incomprehensible to her without that knowledge, which she had had to acquire almost entirely as a self-taught person.
But Jezebel was not satisfied, and once she had “reformed” the priestly order, she turned her attention to the very structure of society. Her ideas were so ahead of their time and apparently “harmless” that at first they were even willingly accepted by her (few and silent) sworn enemies... that is, until their overall “design” became clear... A DIRECT ATTACK ON AN OLIGARCHIC AND PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY.
The fundamental point was access to knowledge, which at the time was limited to the priestly order and the wealthiest classes. For Jezebel, it had to be the heritage of EVERYONE, and she had skillfully used the risk faced by the entire population during the Epidemic to pass it off as a “security” measure.
Indeed, her first speech at the assembly of sages in the capital was memorable (which was also the first time for a woman in such a context). Jezebel was brief and to the point: “If today our people are healthy and strong again, it is thanks to a lost book and a self-taught girl. Whoever opposes the sharing of knowledge puts the safety of our entire beloved nation at risk. I have nothing more to add.”
Equally memorable was another speech by Jezebel, whose revolutionary ideas extended to every area of society, regarding the structure of the army, which at the time was the exclusive domain of men. When some sages argued about the obvious difference in strength between women and men, Jezebel replied: “Oh certainly, it is the same in nature. The male lion is much bigger and stronger than the female BUT, oh my brave sages, I ask you: if you wanted to harm lion cubs, who would you fear more? The lone dominant male or the females of the pride?”
In just a few decades, Jezebel succeeded in her goal... and changed an entire society, an entire PEOPLE.
As the years went by, Jezebel's power only increased. The few who had tried to oppose her publicly at the beginning, due to Jezebel's popularity, suffered dire consequences and remained in collective memory as a harsh warning to any potential opponent. Jezebel had simply become untouchable; whatever she said instantly became law, if not dogma, to the point that even a mild criticism could cause the social isolation of the unfortunate person.