Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard
Chapter 52: Do not wander alone- Part 1

Chapter 52: 52: Do not wander alone- Part 1

For the first time in a while, Auriel felt refreshed and unburdened. She woke up to the realization that there was nothing urgent for her to attend to.

"Ugh, freedom. It’s so peaceful when no one is annoying me first thing in the morning. Well, what time is it?"

The sky outside her room looked bright, but it didn’t give Auriel much indication. She quickly glanced at the clock in the corner of her room. It was barely past 1:00 PM, which meant Auriel had slept through breakfast... not that she needed it.

Still, indulging in human pleasures was a way for Auriel to forget her troubles for a while and enjoy herself.

Stretching her hands over her head, Auriel finally decided to step outside her room. She wanted to get lunch at the very least.

As she passed through the temple, loud prayers offered to other goddesses reached her ears, prompting her to stop and glance toward the chamber where a particularly strong prayer resonated.

Her feet instinctively led her to the door, and before she knew it, Auriel had pushed it open to take a look inside.

A small group of people knelt in front of a highly decorative altar, bowing and chanting as they channeled their faith toward their chosen god.

"O Divine One, please listen to our pleas and grant us wisdom and compassion. We, your humble servants, wish for the chance to serve you well. Give us the opportunity to fulfill our desires."

The leader of the small group bowed the lowest, and the others followed suit. The party seemed so absorbed in their prayer that they didn’t even notice when Auriel entered the room.

Something about their gestures was so genuine and captivating that Auriel unconsciously sat at the back and watched.

"O Divine Goddess of Wisdom, Minerva. Grant us your light and show us the way to the holy land. We, your humble servants, ask for your guidance."

The old man at the front bowed deeply, and everyone else mirrored him. It was a mesmerizing scene, but as soon as Auriel heard whom they were praying to, the joy left her face. She went a little pale.

Pity crossed her features as she observed the group of devoted followers doing their best to cling to their faith.

"Minerva’s followers, huh? I bet they have no idea what became of her," Auriel muttered under her breath as she watched them.

The only thing she knew about Minerva was that the goddess had done something that went against the laws of the heavens and had been locked away for it. Auriel hadn’t been around at the time and wasn’t close to Minerva either, so she had no idea of the specifics.

She just knew that Minerva was no more and wouldn’t return for a long time.

The Chief God had even assigned her duties to someone else in the meantime.

"Let’s leave quietly. I shouldn’t disturb people praying with everything they have. It wouldn’t be honorable of me to do that to them," Auriel sighed before pushing herself to stand.

Auriel sighed softly, preparing to leave the chamber. However, before she could take another step, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hall.

They were loud and frantic, sending a ripple of unease through her chest. Moments later, Carol and Priestess Lilith burst into the room, their expressions tense and filled with urgency.

Auriel turned to face them, startled by their entrance.

Carol’s eyes darted around the chamber, scanning for any threats, while Priestess Lilith’s shoulders relaxed visibly when she noticed Auriel standing unharmed. Both women let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Goddess Auriel, thank goodness we found you!"

Lilith exclaimed, clutching her chest as if she’d just run a mile. Carol gave her a sidelong glance, clearly irritated by her dramatic display, but her own worry was evident.

Auriel tilted her head, a mix of curiosity and concern in her gaze.

"What’s going on? Why are you two in such a panic?" she asked, her voice steady but probing.

The pair exchanged a glance, an unspoken conversation passing between them.

Carol crossed her arms, looking as if she were about to brush the question aside, but Lilith hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Finally, she spoke, though her tone was careful and light, almost too casual.

"It’s nothing serious, Goddess. We just... didn’t want you wandering alone today, especially with so many visitors arriving for Prayer Day. It’s not safe for someone of your status to be walking around without an escort. You never know when a crazed fanatic might try something foolish."

Lilith began, waving a hand dismissively as she spoke. But something about the way she spoke set alarm bells in Auriel’s mind go off.

Auriel narrowed her eyes slightly, studying the priestess. Lilith was trying to play it off as nothing, but her forced cheerfulness only made her seem more suspicious. Carol, meanwhile, was uncharacteristically quiet, her gaze fixed on the ground.

"Priestess Lilith, you’re hiding something. What’s really going on?"

Auriel said calmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Lilith flinched, her mask of ease slipping for a moment. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. It was Carol who finally spoke, her voice low and steady.

"It’s true that we’re concerned about your safety, Goddess. But... there’s been some tension in the temple recently. With so many people coming here to pray, it’s hard to keep track of everyone. We’ve noticed a few strangers lurking around—people we’ve never seen before. They’ve been asking strange questions, and some of them have been spotted in restricted areas."

She admitted, her expression grave.

The priestess seemed convinced that something would happen if she left the Goddess alone.

Auriel’s brow furrowed.

"Strangers? Are you suggesting there might be a threat?"

"It’s possible. We don’t want to alarm you unnecessarily, but we’d rather be cautious. That’s why we came to find you."

Carol replied, her tone careful. She sounded equally determined to not let the goddess wander around alone.