Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard-Chapter 141: Being Watched- Part 3

Seraphina clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. She had gone through great trouble to get Auriel here under false pretenses, but now that the goddess was lingering of her own free will, it unsettled her.

Why? What did Auriel want?

Seraphina couldn’t take the risk of letting the goddess move freely. If she started prying too much, things would become complicated.

So Seraphina decided to take matters into her own hands.

That night, while Auriel was sleeping, Seraphina wove a spell around her.

It was subtle—light as a whisper, gentle as a breeze. A tracking spell.

She wouldn’t stop Auriel from moving around, but she would always know where she was.

The spell would let Seraphina sense any shift in Auriel’s location, ensuring that she was never caught off guard.

Satisfied, Seraphina stepped away from Auriel’s sleeping form and left the room.

She had no idea that Auriel had been awake the entire time.

______

Auriel kept her breathing even as she felt the spell settle over her like a thin veil.

Seraphina thought she was being clever.

Auriel smirked in the darkness.

She could break the spell if she wanted to.

The magic was simple, nothing compared to the divine power she possessed. Even in a weakened state, shattering the spell would take less than a second.

But she didn’t.

She let it stay.

Because in a way, it worked in her favor.

If Seraphina was tracking her, then Seraphina would know the moment anything went wrong. It was a safety net, a way for Auriel to explore the dungeon without truly being alone.

She waited for the perfect moment.

The next day, she observed Seraphina closely. When she noticed that both Seraphina and Lina had left for their own tasks, she acted.

Without hesitation, she slipped out of the house and headed straight for the dungeon.

The moment Auriel stepped inside, the feeling returned.

A pull.

A connection.

The dungeon wasn’t ordinary.

She had known that the first time she had set foot here, but she had been distracted then. Now, with no one watching her, she let herself focus.

The walls pulsed with an unseen energy. The air was thick, heavy with something ancient.

Auriel placed a hand against the stone and closed her eyes.

And for a brief second, she felt it.

A presence.

Something—or someone—was inside.

Waiting.

Watching.

She opened her eyes and exhaled. Whatever this place was, she was going to find out.

______

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the shadows, two figures sat in a dimly lit chamber.

Nana hesitated before speaking, her voice quiet but firm.

"Lady Victoria, if I may ask... why demons?"

Victoria lifted her gaze lazily, sipping from a delicate glass filled with an unknown, shimmering liquid.

"What do you mean?"

She asked, tilting her head slightly.

Nana clenched her hands.

"I mean... why did you choose the demons to make contact with Auriel? And how did you get those stubborn elders to go along with this? They are not easy to manipulate."

For a moment, Victoria simply smiled.

Then, she placed her glass down and leaned forward slightly.

"Because it was the best option."

She said smoothly,

Nana frowned.

"The human world is too... unpredictable. And the celestial realm? Too difficult to penetrate. But demons? Demons are bound by survival. They are neither fully loyal nor completely treacherous. They can be swayed. Persuaded. And as for the elders..."

Victoria continued.

She chuckled.

"My master made it possible."

Nana stiffened at the mention of "the master."

She had heard that phrase before.

It was the one thing Victoria never elaborated on.

And whenever she spoke of "her master," there was always a strange glint in her eyes—one that sent a chill through Nana’s spine.

Victoria leaned back, observing Nana carefully.

"You’re not doubting our master, are you?"

Nana felt her body tense instinctively.

"No, of course not. I would never doubt our master."

She said quickly, bowing her head slightly.

Victoria smiled, pleased.

"Good."

Nana wanted to leave. She didn’t like staying around Victoria for too long. She always left feeling... wrong.

So she bowed once more. "If there is nothing else, I’ll take my leave."

She turned to go, but before she could take a step, Victoria spoke again.

"How is the experiment coming along?"

The question made Nana freeze.

Her fingers twitched slightly before she forced herself to turn around, keeping her expression neutral.

"We are close to our goal," she answered.

Victoria’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.

"Excellent."

Nana held back the urge to shiver.

She quickly bowed once more and exited the chamber, her heart pounding in her chest.

She had to remind herself—she was loyal. She had no reason to doubt.

And yet...

Something about all of this felt wrong.

Nana took a deep breath as she left Lady Victoria’s chamber, forcing herself to push away the unease curling in her stomach. There was no point in dwelling on it.

Doubt would only slow her down.

She had a job to do.

Adjusting her gloves, she quickened her pace, heading straight for the underground lab where the experiments were being conducted.

As she entered, the familiar sterile scent of herbs and alchemy filled her nose.

The chamber was dimly lit, with tables lined with various vials, tools, and ancient texts. In the center, a large containment unit pulsed faintly with energy.

Her work.

Her purpose.

Nana approached one of the control panels, checking the latest readings.

Everything was progressing as expected. There was no room for hesitation. If they succeeded, they would change everything.

She repeated that to herself like a mantra.

Behind her, unseen, Lady Victoria watched from the shadows, her lips curling into an amused smile.

"Humans are so easy to manipulate."

She murmured, swirling the dark liquid in her glass before taking a slow sip.

So predictable.

So desperate for meaning.

Victoria turned away, satisfied. Nana would not betray them. She was too deep in this now.

And soon, all the pieces would fall into place.

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