Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard
Chapter 51: Back here again - Part 2

Chapter 51: 51: Back here again - Part 2

The silence made walking around the temple feel awkward. Auriel shivered as she wandered, the cold night air making her feel even more awake. She moved with slow, deliberate steps, her senses attuned to every faint sound and shadow.

Tentatively, she stepped into the forbidden corridor, every nerve on edge as if expecting to be ambushed at any moment.

Despite her hesitation, Auriel continued deeper and deeper, her willpower suppressing her growing discomfort and curiosity.

"How strange. I don’t think I reacted this strongly even when I entered that temple filled with dark magic. What kind of secrets does this place hold?"

Auriel muttered as she walked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her hand began to twitch, and her divine magic leaked out unintentionally. She tried to suppress it, but the magic seemed insistent, pushing her to purify the area.

Constantly using magic was tiring, but Auriel didn’t mind the strain. She pressed forward until she reached the point she had stopped at last time. She almost expected someone to leap out and startle her again. Yet, even after waiting for ten minutes, nothing happened.

Auriel found herself alone in the cold garden. A sharp gust of wind hit her face, making her grimace as she wiped at her skin. The imaginary dust irritated her, and she muttered a curse.

"Stupid wind and stupid human world. Ugh, why do I have to get stuck here? It all feels like such a pain..."

She grumbled as she continued walking. Just as she was about to turn back, she spotted it—a faint, dark smudge in the distance, almost like a living shadow, beckoning her attention.

Auriel’s instincts urged her to follow it, and she did. Her pulse quickened as she trailed the shadow, which led her deeper into the corridor.

It wasn’t long before she saw her—a familiar priestess, the one she had encountered a few nights ago.

The woman moved with purpose, her presence unsettling. Without hesitation, Auriel decided to follow, determined to uncover what the priestess was up to in this forbidden place.

Auriel trailed behind the mysterious priestess, her steps light and deliberate to avoid detection. The corridor grew narrower as she followed the shadowy figure, the air thick with an energy that sent shivers down her spine.

Soon, she reached an imposing doorway that marked the entrance to the inner sanctuary. From this spot, Auriel could feel the presence of the most intense magic she had encountered in the human world.

It tugged at her, not with the ominous weight of corruption, but with a pull that was oddly familiar, almost comforting.

She hesitated, curiosity warring with caution. Just as she mustered the resolve to step inside, a voice startled her.

"Goddess Auriel? What are you doing here?"

Auriel whirled around, her heart skipping a beat. Carol stood a few steps behind her, her youthful face painted with surprise.

It was clear that neither of them had expected to see the other wandering the temple at this hour.

Auriel’s initial alarm melted into relief.

"Carol? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Even if a divine one doesn’t not need sleep, it would still be advisable for you to rest, Goddess Auriel."

Carol said, folding her arms before she continued and defended herself.

"Also, I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to walk around. But I didn’t expect to find you all the way near the inner sanctuary."

Auriel smiled to hide her discomfort.

"I saw someone come this way and decided to follow them. But...This place... it feels strange. The magic here is strong, but it’s not dark. It feels...weird."

She glanced back at the sanctuary door.

Carol’s eyes flicked toward the doorway, her expression thoughtful.

"That’s the old altar chamber. It used to be a place for ceremonies centuries ago, but it’s been abandoned ever since the altar fell into ruin."

Auriel frowned.

"Abandoned? Then why does it feel so... alive?"

Carol tilted her head, her curiosity piqued.

Would you like to see it? I can take you inside."

Auriel hesitated for only a moment before nodding.

"Yes. I think I need to."

Carol led the way, pushing open the heavy doors to reveal a chamber steeped in shadows. The air inside was cool and heavy, and the faint glow of residual magic danced across the walls.

Auriel stepped in cautiously, her senses heightened.

The chamber was vast, with high ceilings and walls etched with ancient runes that glimmered faintly in the darkness.

At the center stood the remnants of a crumbled altar, its once-pristine surface now marred with cracks and overgrown with moss.

Despite its decay, the altar radiated a gentle warmth that was undeniably divine.

Auriel walked closer, her fingers brushing over the surface of the altar.

"This place... it feels like it was used recently. Are you sure it’s been abandoned?"

Carol nodded firmly.

"The last recorded ceremony here was nearly a century ago. No one has used this chamber since then."

Auriel frowned, her instincts screaming otherwise. The lingering energy in the room was far too fresh, too potent, to have been untouched for so long. But as she studied Carol’s expression, she found no trace of deceit.

"This magic...It feels familiar. Almost like it’s calling to me."

Auriel murmured.

Carol stepped beside her, glancing at the altar with a mix of reverence and curiosity.

"Maybe it’s reacting to you because you’re a Goddess. Or... well, because you’re special."

Auriel didn’t respond immediately, her thoughts tangled. The magic here was unmistakably divine, yet it held an unfamiliar edge that she couldn’t quite place.

It was as though the altar was trying to tell her something, but the message was just out of reach.

"Do you think it’s possible that someone’s been here recently?"

Auriel finally asked.

Carol shook her head.

"If anyone had entered this chamber, the temple would know. It’s not exactly easy to access without permission. The only ones who usually come here are the retainers for this place."

Auriel sighed, unable to shake her unease.

"I suppose you’re right. But still... something about this place feels off."

Carol placed a comforting hand on her arm.

"Maybe you’re overthinking it. The temple holds many secrets, and not all of them are sinister. Come on, let’s head back before anyone notices we’re here."

Auriel nodded reluctantly, casting one last glance at the altar before following Carol out of the chamber.

The corridor seemed less ominous on their way back, but the weight in Auriel’s chest didn’t lift. Whatever she had felt in that room lingered in her mind, gnawing at her with an unshakable persistence.

By the time they reached Auriel’s quarters, the night had deepened into an eerie stillness.

Carol bid her a quiet goodnight and disappeared down the hall, leaving Auriel alone with her thoughts. She closed the door to her room and leaned against it, exhaling a heavy sigh.

The events of the night replayed in her mind, each detail sharpening her unease. The altar, the residual magic, the mysterious priestess she had followed—all of it felt connected, though she couldn’t yet see how.

Auriel moved to the window, gazing out at the moonlit courtyard.

"What are you trying to tell me?"

She whispered, as though the night itself might hold the answers.

She knew she wouldn’t find peace until she unraveled the mystery surrounding the sanctuary. But for now, all she could do was wait and hope that the answers would reveal themselves in time.

As sleep continued to elude her, Auriel resigned herself to a restless night. Something was stirring within the temple, something that had remained hidden for centuries.

______

As Auriel and Carol walked away from the inner sanctuary, their quiet footsteps echoed faintly in the silent corridor.

The temple seemed to hold its breath, as if it were listening to their every word. Auriel’s thoughts were tangled with the lingering sensation of the divine magic she’d felt earlier, and she

As they rounded the corner, leaving the sanctuary behind, a figure emerged from the shadows near the entrance to the chamber.

Cloaked in darkness, the figure remained still, watching the two women disappear into the distance.

A faint, almost imperceptible smile curled across their lips, though their face remained obscured by the hood of their robe.

The mysterious figure took a step forward, their movements silent and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. They paused at the doorway to the sanctuary, their head tilting slightly as though listening to the faint remnants of the divine energy that still lingered in the air.

"So, we managed to lure the goddess here. The time is drawing near"

The figure murmured, their voice a low whisper that seemed to blend with the shadows.

Without another word, the figure melted back into the darkness, vanishing as quickly as they had appeared.

The temple returned to its quiet stillness, but an unshakable tension hung in the air, as if the ancient walls themselves knew that something had begun to stir.