Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard
Chapter 79: Whispers in the City- Part 1

Chapter 79: 79: Whispers in the City- Part 1

"I am sorry, but you are not allowed to meet Goddess Auriel. She has ordered not to be disturbed by anyone during her alone time."

"B-But I need to meet her! She can perform miracles, right? Then she can save my son. My dear and beautiful son needs her. Please, let me go inside."

Auriel heard the voices of priests turning people away and also of the people begging to meet her.

It made her feel bad when these genuinely nice people had to be turned down because she was not in the mood to meet them, but this was necessary.

After all, if Auriel did one person a favor, the others would expect their turn to come as well. Not only would they try to overwhelm the temple, but they would also cause problems for the other people who were here to pray quietly.

It was not something Auriel wanted to wish upon anyone, so she let the temple people deal with it.

But that did not mean she could not look dissatisfied.

Her annoyance showed clearly on her face, and Carol immediately noticed this.

"Goddess Auriel, please do not pay attention to these people. They will leave soon, and you won’t have to see them again."

Carol promised, but this was the least of Auriel’s worries.

Still, since she did not want to show what she was feeling on her face, Auriel quickly looked away and hid her worries.

"I know all that already, so you don’t have to tell me this. Anyway, I think I will head to the city today and take a look around. Please prepare clothes that will not attract too much attention to me."

Auriel usually wore the priest’s garb, but she wanted to try wearing something different and normal today.

Carol bit her lip as she looked at Auriel. She clearly wanted to say something but refrained from speaking before she left. Whatever she wanted to say was left on the tip of her tongue.

Seeing her frantically running around to fulfill Auriel’s request did make Auriel feel bad. But once more, it was something that Carol had to do because it was her duty. There was no reason for Auriel to feel bad for her.

Just when Auriel thought she was done feeling bad, Priestess Lilith walked into the room, and Auriel’s expression turned almost sheepish when she looked at her.

Memories of what happened last night and her influence on the priestess made Auriel feel restless.

"Goddess Auriel, are you going to head into the city and observe the people? Would you change your decision if I asked you to? As someone whose task is to keep you safe, I don’t think it is a good idea for you to head to the city now."

Priestess Lilith asked Auriel with a calm expression. It did not seem to be a demand, but Auriel still felt compelled to listen to the priestess.

Still, she had made up her mind, so she quickly dismissed whatever she was feeling and gave Priestess Lilith her answer.

"I apologize for any inconvenience, but I have decided to make this trip. It is necessary for me to know what is going on in my domain, and this is the best way to do that."

Auriel was firm in her decision, and her eyes told Priestess Lilith that she would not back down. So it was a given that Priestess Lilith would give up.

"I understand. In that case, please stay close to Carol, Goddess. I don’t want to see you in trouble for any reason. Please take care of yourself well."

That was what Priestess Lilith asked of Auriel, and Auriel did not give her an answer. Thankfully, her expression was enough to tell the priestess that she was listening.

"Goddess Auriel, I found some clothes that can work. Would you like to try them on?"

Carol’s voice came from the other side of the room, and Auriel finally broke the eye contact she had maintained with Priestess Lilith before heading toward her instead.

Priestess Carol’s eyes continued to look at Auriel all this while, but Auriel could tell that the priestess was warning her about something.

______

Disguised as rich merchants, Auriel and Carol made their way through the city streets.

Auriel wore a modest yet elegant cloak, while Carol, ever the cautious one, had chosen an outfit that made them look like traveling aristocrats rather than priestesses.

It was important to gain people’s trust and having money was the best way to do so.

After all, humans were materialistic creatures and would do anything for money.

The city was far from peaceful. There was an undercurrent of tension that rippled through the air, something almost tangible that sent a shiver down Auriel’s spine.

She kept her guard up and Carol also looked around for any potential dangers that could put the goddess at risk. The unrestful atmosphere was not a place she wanted the goddess to be.

The people walked with purpose, but not in the usual lively manner of a bustling marketplace. There were fewer vendors than expected, and even fewer smiles.

Murmurs of discontent carried on the wind, hushed voices speaking of something unseen yet deeply unsettling. The city had a weird feel to it, and yet, it looks normal at the same time.

Carol, sensing the unease as well, leaned in and whispered.

"Goddess, I don’t think it would be wise for us to interact much with the locals. We don’t know what’s happening here, and if people are in a rebellious mood, we might attract unwanted attention. Let’s find a quiet place to sit—perhaps a café—where we can observe and listen without drawing suspicion."

But Auriel shook her head to show that she did not agree. She wanted to see what was going on and the best way to do this was to be where people were and listen in to their conversations.

"No, I need to understand what is happening here firsthand. If something is affecting the people’s faith, I must see it with my own eyes."