Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard
Chapter 48: Blind Faith - Part 1

Chapter 48: 48: Blind Faith - Part 1

"E-Excuse me, Priestess, but may I know what you intend to do with these bandits? I know it is too much to ask, but can you—"

The old village lady stepped forward to talk to Auriel once the celebration was winding down. She had chosen Auriel because she seemed the easiest to approach.

Carol was too young, and Princess Evelyn... had an intimidating face that made her unapproachable. That left Auriel as the only one safe enough for the village leader to address.

Auriel did not mind being approached like this, but she was also aware that both Carol and the princess were keeping an eye on her and the village elder to ensure nothing went wrong.

"Don’t worry, elder. I have contacted Duchess Amara. She will be here in a few hours to take these bandits. You can rest assured that you will never see them again."

Auriel promised, intending to see the village elder happy with her decision.

But instead of happiness, she was met with a sorrowful expression on the elder’s face. Auriel could instantly tell she had made a mistake.

"O-Oh my! How could this... Priestess, why did you call the Duchess? Duchess Amara is busy enough, and now she has to come here, taking time out of her packed schedule... Oh my! How could we ask this..."

The old lady was over-exaggerating, and Auriel wanted to tell her so. But her throat felt like it did not want to open in front of someone who looked so upset.

"P-Please, calm down—"

Auriel tried to soothe the old lady, but the more she tried, the more she felt like she was making the situation worse. She could feel the eyes of the onlookers on her, silently blaming her for what had happened.

If she could, Auriel might have curled up to avoid these accusing looks. But as a Goddess, she could not do that. She had to face their gazes and—

Crash!

"Oi! Stop complaining about not wanting to bother the Duchess. It’s that darn woman’s job to look after her territory. If she can’t even do that, then she doesn’t deserve to be the one in charge. Now stop complaining—you’re all giving me a headache."

Auriel immediately looked at the half-drunk princess who had spoken. And she wasn’t the only one.

Horrified and angry expressions turned toward Princess Evelyn, and Auriel felt the need to intervene before things escalated further.

"Take those words back! How dare you... What do you even know about the Duchess to speak such things about her?"

Someone in the crowd spoke up loudly, his voice filled with challenge. And he wasn’t alone.

The whole village seemed to have turned against the princess, but the drunk Evelyn didn’t seem to care.

Hic.

"You’re all hell-bent on defending that Duchess as if she’s your benefactor. Did she cast some kind of magic on you? Not that it matters. She needs to do her job, and you all need to stop licking her ass—"

Some of the villagers couldn’t take it anymore and finally rushed at the drunk princess. But even in her intoxicated state, it was impossible for untrained villagers to subdue someone as well-trained as her.

"Carol, should we do something—?"

Auriel asked, her concerned gaze fixed on the scene. Her expression caused Carol to look at her with mild confusion.

"What for? The princess can take care of herself."

Carol’s words sounded certain and clear, but her eyes were slightly clouded—likely from the influence of the alcohol she had consumed earlier.

Auriel felt like she should say something about that, but first, she needed to address the chaos with the villagers.

"The princess can take care of herself, but it’s the villagers I’m worried about. I don’t think they’ll be able to take much more of this."

Auriel spoke softly but firmly. She was even considering stepping into the fight herself if things didn’t de-escalate soon.

Luckily, she didn’t need to, because a sharp whistle cut through the air, causing everyone to stop and look toward the source of the sound.

Standing on the other side of the clearing was Duchess Amara, accompanied by some of her maids. The person who had unintentionally caused this whole mess simply by existing was finally at the scene, and Auriel felt a wave of relief wash over her.

However, the same could not be said for Carol or Princess Evelyn.

The air in the village shifted almost instantly when the villagers noticed Duchess Amara standing at the edge of the clearing.

A hush fell over the crowd, and all eyes turned toward her as if they were witnessing a divine apparition.

"Duchess Amara! Oh, forgive us for burdening you with our troubles! We didn’t mean to disturb you, truly! We should have handled this on our own."

The village elder dropped to her knees, her voice quivering with guilt and reverence.

The Duchess waved her hand dismissively, her smile warm and reassuring.

"Nonsense. This is my territory, and it’s my duty to ensure that all of you are safe. Please, there’s no need for such dramatics. Let’s resolve this matter together."

Her words seemed to ease some of the tension, and a few villagers even dared to smile faintly. But not everyone shared their admiration.

"Lazy, that’s what you are. You only show up when it’s convenient. If you were worth your position, this village wouldn’t be dealing with bandits in the first place."

Princess Evelyn muttered, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried enough bite to make those nearest to her flinch.

A few gasps rippled through the crowd, and all eyes darted nervously between the princess and the Duchess. For her part, Duchess Amara didn’t flinch or frown. She turned her gaze toward the princess, her smile never wavering.

"Perhaps you’re right, young lady. I’ll take that criticism to heart. For now, though, let’s focus on ensuring the safety of these good people"

The Duchess replied lightly, as though the princess’s words had been a harmless observation rather than an insult.

The princess’s eyes narrowed, clearly irritated by the Duchess’s calm demeanor. But before she could fire back another sharp remark, the villagers began to murmur among themselves.

"She’s so gracious."

"To come here personally..."

"We’re so fortunate to have her as our leader."

The villagers’ words of praise grew louder, a tide of admiration that only seemed to deepen Princess Evelyn’s scowl.

Carol, standing nearby, looked equally displeased, her arms crossed as she muttered something under her breath about "blind devotion."

Auriel, sensing the brewing storm between the Duchess’s admirers and her two companions, decided it was time to step in.

She placed a gentle hand on Princess Evelyn’s shoulder, her touch firm enough to pull the princess’s attention away from her growing frustration.

"Let’s not cause a scene. The villagers are just expressing their gratitude. There’s no need for us to linger"

Auriel said softly, her voice calm but carrying an undertone of authority.

The princess opened her mouth to protest but quickly closed it again when she caught the look in Auriel’s eyes.

With a reluctant huff, she stepped back, allowing Auriel to steer her away from the crowd. Carol followed closely, her expression sour but silent.

Duchess Amara watched them go, her smile deepening just a fraction as she turned back to the villagers.

"I’ll see to it that these bandits are dealt with appropriately. "And I’ll ensure additional patrols are sent to this area to prevent further trouble. You have my word."

She promised, her voice carrying the weight of authority and reassurance

The villagers erupted into cheers and applause, their earlier guilt forgotten in the glow of the Duchess’s presence. They watched with wide-eyed admiration as the bandits were led away by the Duchess’s guards.

Meanwhile, Auriel guided the princess and Carol to a quieter part of the village, away from the noise and adoration. Once they were far enough from prying eyes, Auriel turned to face the two of them, her expression firm but kind.

"I understand your frustrations. But it doesn’t help anyone to let your emotions get the better of you, especially not in front of the villagers. They’re just trying to find hope where they can."

She began, her tone gentle but resolute.

Carol glanced away, looking slightly chastened, while Princess Evelyn crossed her arms and muttered.

"Hope is one thing. Blind worship is another."

Auriel sighed but didn’t push the matter further. Instead, she gave them both a small, encouraging smile.

"Come on. Let’s take a walk and clear our heads. There’s still work to be done, and we’ll need to be at our best for whatever comes next."

Reluctantly, the two followed Auriel, their earlier irritation beginning to fade. For now, the village was safe, and the bandits were no longer a threat.

However, Auriel now had two irritated females on her hand and none looked like they wanted to have peace with this village and its people.