Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard
Chapter 40: Are you sure about it? - Part 1

Chapter 40: 40: Are you sure about it? - Part 1

The inner chamber was colder than the rest of the temple, and the air felt heavy, as if years of silence and decay pressed down on them. The group stopped just inside the doorway, their eyes scanning the dark, cavernous space.

Duchess Amara turned to face them, her usual smile firmly in place.

"This is the chamber where the stone tablet was discovered. I thought it best to show you this place first, so you could get a feel for its significance."

She announced with a theatrical wave of her arm.

Auriel said nothing, her gaze sweeping over the chamber. Despite the lingering sense of unease, she could not detect any residual traces of either dark or divine magic.

The room was silent, devoid of the energy she had come to associate with powerful artifacts or sacred relics.

Carol, however, didn’t share her calm. She narrowed her eyes at the Duchess.

"If this chamber is so important, why didn’t you mention it earlier? Why all the theatrics?"

The Duchess didn’t flinch under Carol’s sharp tone. Instead, she tilted her head with a bemused smile.

"Why, Priestess Carol, I simply wanted to ensure you experienced the full mystery of the temple. Is that not why we are here?"

Carol clenched her fists but said nothing further, muttering under her breath.

The group began to fan out, inspecting the chamber. Auriel stayed near the center, closing her eyes and trying to feel for any hidden power or trace of magic.

But no matter how deeply she probed, there was nothing. It was as though the room had been entirely drained of significance, leaving only cold stone and stale air.

"Did you find anything, Goddess Auriel?"

Duchess Amara’s voice rang out, curious and tinged with an almost imperceptible amusement.

Auriel opened her eyes and shook her head slightly.

"Nothing. This room doesn’t feel like it ever held divine or dark magic. It’s... just a chamber."

The Duchess’s smile widened, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

"How intriguing. Well, shall we head back, then? There’s no use lingering in a place without answers."

The group retraced their steps through the temple, the oppressive atmosphere lifting slightly as they neared the entrance. Carol remained tense, her eyes darting around as though expecting another attack.

Once outside, Duchess Amara wasted no time leading them toward her estate.

"Since the temple failed to provide the answers you sought, I’ll finally show you the stone tablet I’ve been keeping. I hope it will shed some light on this matter."

Carol frowned.

"Why didn’t you show us the tablet first? It would’ve saved us a lot of trouble."

The Duchess chuckled softly, her tone light.

"Because where’s the fun in that, Priestess Carol? A little mystery keeps life interesting."

Auriel didn’t respond, her thoughts still lingering on the temple and its lack of any discernible magical presence. Something about the whole situation felt... wrong, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

Finally, they arrived at the Duchess’s estate, where the tablet had been kept. Duchess Amara led them into a private chamber, her footsteps echoing on the polished floor.

She gestured toward a pedestal in the center of the room, where the tablet rested beneath a glass case.

"Here it is, Goddess Auriel. The stone tablet I mentioned. What do you think?"

The Duchess said with a flourish.

Auriel approached the tablet slowly, her divine senses on high alert. She peered through the glass, studying the markings etched into the stone.

To her eyes, they were nothing more than faded carvings—ornate, yes, but entirely ordinary. She felt no divine energy emanating from it, nor any trace of dark magic.

"It’s... just a stone tablet."

Auriel said finally, her voice tinged with confusion.

The Duchess raised an eyebrow, her smile faltering slightly.

"Just a tablet, you say? Surely a Goddess of your caliber can see more than that."

Auriel shook her head.

"There’s nothing divine about this tablet. Whatever significance it might have, it doesn’t stem from any higher power."

Carol, who had been standing off to the side, crossed her arms.

"So, we went through all of that for nothing? You dragged us into that death trap of a temple just to show us a rock?"

The Duchess’s smile returned, sharper this time.

"Oh, Priestess Carol, don’t be so dramatic. Surely the journey wasn’t entirely without merit. Besides, the Goddess is here to help us uncover the truth, is she not?"

Carol opened her mouth to retort, but Auriel held up a hand, silencing her.

"I’ll take another look at the tablet. Perhaps there’s something I missed."

Auriel said, her tone measured. She doubted she had missed something, but one could never know. It was better to recheck things.

She focused her divine energy, letting it flow through her fingertips as she hovered her hand above the glass case. But no matter how much power she channeled, the tablet remained unresponsive. It was, as she had suspected, nothing more than a piece of stone.

Auriel stepped back, her expression unreadable.

"I’m sorry, but I can’t sense anything special about this tablet. If it holds any secrets, they’re beyond my ability to detect."

The Duchess sighed, though her smile didn’t waver.

"What a shame. I had hoped it would provide more answers. Still, I appreciate your efforts, Goddess Auriel."

Auriel nodded, though unease settled in her chest. Something about the Duchess’s demeanor felt off, but she couldn’t pinpoint why.

As they left the chamber, Carol leaned in close to Auriel.

"I don’t trust her. She’s playing games with us, and I don’t like it."

Auriel glanced at the Duchess, who was chatting amiably with one of her servants.

"I know, Carol. But until we have more information, we’ll play along. Keep your guard up."

Carol nodded reluctantly, her eyes narrowing as she watched the Duchess.

"Don’t worry, Goddess. I won’t let her pull anything."

Auriel couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being led into something far more dangerous than they realized.

The tablet might have been a dead end, but the secrets hidden within the Duchess’s estate—and perhaps within the Duchess herself—were far from ordinary.

______

Auriel was left alone in her room after that.

Or rather, she had asked to be left alone because she had a lot to think about. The things that had happened in the temple had left a lasting impression on her, and Auriel had no idea how to proceed.

It was not often that a goddess like her felt so stumped, but currently, this situation was spiraling beyond her control—and fast.

"Should I make another call to the office and tell them what is happening? The more information I share with the main office, the better they will be able to help me. I’m sure I’ll give that old hag a heart attack at this rate."

Auriel commented and tried to laugh. But too much had happened for her to simply crack a laugh and relax.

In the end, Auriel tried to close her eyes and fall asleep. But no matter how much she tried, she was unable to force herself to sleep.

The nagging feeling in the back of her mind kept her awake, and she reluctantly decided to stop trying to sleep and head out to check on the tablet instead. Her senses were telling her that it was the right thing to do.

In the dead of the night, Auriel left her room and roamed the hallways. She was the only presence moving around in the stillness of the night—or so Auriel thought. But then she saw it—a shadow moving at the corner of her vision.

The figure walking around looked somewhat familiar, and Auriel had a feeling she had seen that shade of auburn hair before.

She knew it was dangerous to follow the shadow, but curiosity got the best of her, and she ended up pursuing the figure.

Auriel took a sharp turn, only to stumble upon a scene she did not expect.

A poor and flustered maid was pressed against the wall, and the Duchess was caging her in with clear intent.

"D-Duchess, we can’t! You know that I’m engaged, and I-I—"

"Oh, so that means you don’t like me? Then why are you reacting so strongly toward me? I can feel how much you want me."

The Duchess had no shame in her tone as she spoke. Her voice was light and airy, making the maid swoon on her feet and almost collapse. But before she could fall, the Duchess caught her.

"Be careful, my dear. We cannot allow you to faint like this. After all, someone as lovely as you does not deserve to suffer so. Now come, and jump into my embrace—"

Auriel froze as she saw the scene before her unfold. She tried to make no noise, willing herself to remain unnoticed. Slowly, she turned to leave, hoping to escape unseen. But fate had other plans.

The maid, still caught in the Duchess’s grasp, noticed Auriel standing in the open. Her eyes widened in alarm, and she let out an involuntary gasp. The sound echoed faintly in the quiet corridor, enough to draw the Duchess’s attention.