Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard-Chapter 78: False Accusations - Part 2

Auriel felt her patience slipping.

It was not the first time mortals had questioned her. She had seen this pattern many times before—people worshipping gods when it was convenient and abandoning them when hardship arose. It was nothing new.

And yet, hearing them openly declare their doubts, speaking as if she were some fraud, insulting her in her own temple—it made something inside her burn.

Lilith, who had been standing silently up until now, finally spoke.

"You dare speak of proof? How many miracles has this temple witnessed? How many times has Goddess Auriel’s power saved this land? And yet, now that things have become difficult, you turn against her?"

Her voice was cold, her violet eyes flashing with anger.

The crimson-clad noble sneered.

"You speak of miracles, Priestess, but what of the present? The temple could not stop the dark magic from invading the city. It was the magic tower that sought a solution, not the temple. And now, the people are left wondering—do we truly need a temple that cannot even protect its own followers?"

The words struck deeper than they should have.

Auriel clenched her fists.

She had protected the city. She had purified the dark magic, at great cost to herself. She had ensured the safety of these people, and yet, they stood here questioning her very existence?

They were mocking her.

But even as her irritation grew, she forced herself to remain composed. She was a goddess. She would not stoop to their level.

That resolve, however, shattered when the bearded noble scoffed and said.

"If you cannot provide proof, then perhaps you are nothing more than a glorified sorceress pretending to be divine."

The air crackled with power.

Auriel’s eyes glowed, the golden light within them intensifying. The temperature in the hall seemed to shift as an overwhelming pressure filled the space.

Some of the nobles gasped, instinctively stepping back.

Carol, sensing the dangerous shift in Auriel’s mood, quickly tried to intervene.

"Perhaps we should all take a moment to—"

"No."

Auriel’s voice rang clear, cutting through the tension like a blade.

She turned her full attention to the nobles, and for the first time since entering the hall, she let them feel her presence.

The weight of divinity crashed down upon them.

It was not something magic could replicate. It was not something illusionists could fake.

This was divine power—absolute, undeniable.

The nobles fell to their knees, unable to withstand the pressure. Some clutched their chests, gasping for breath, while others simply trembled, eyes wide with realization.

Auriel took slow, deliberate steps forward, standing over them.

"You seek proof? Then tell me, what does it feel like to stand before a mere sorceress?"

She asked, her voice dangerously calm.

No one answered.

They couldn’t.

Their bodies were frozen in place, forced to acknowledge the truth.

Auriel leaned down slightly, her golden eyes glowing brighter.

"If you wish to doubt me. then do so with your full heart. Stand, if you believe me to be false. Challenge me, if you think I am unworthy."

She said softly, but there was no answer.

Silence.

No one moved.

One by one, the nobles lowered their heads, their arrogance shattered.

The bearded noble, the one who had spoken most boldly, swallowed hard. He tried to form words, but nothing came out. He could not deny what was in front of him.

Auriel straightened. The divine pressure eased, allowing the nobles to breathe again.

She gave them a final, piercing look before turning away.

"If you have no further accusations, then leave my temple"

Priestess Liltih said, her tone sharp.

No one dared disobey.

The nobles, shaken and pale, scrambled to their feet and hurried out of the hall.

As the doors slammed shut behind them, Auriel sighed, rubbing her temple.

Lilith exhaled, tension leaving her shoulders. Carol still looked worried, but she remained quiet.

As the last of the nobles left the temple, an uneasy silence settled over the grand hall. Priestess Lilith remained standing near the altar, her hands clasped tightly together, her expression clouded with guilt. Carol lingered nearby, shifting uncomfortably, clearly unsure of what to say.

Auriel sighed, rubbing her temples. She could still feel the remnants of her divine power thrumming beneath her skin, the echoes of her outburst lingering in the air.

"I... apologize, Goddess. This is my fault. I should have handled the situation better. I should have stopped them before it reached this point."

Lilith finally spoke, her voice soft yet heavy with emotion.

Auriel turned to her, her golden eyes scanning the priestess’s tense posture. Lilith looked exhausted—physically and emotionally drained.

"This isn’t your fault, Lilith. You didn’t invite those nobles here. You didn’t fill their heads with doubt. They came with their minds already made up"

Auriel said firmly.

Lilith lowered her head, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her robes.

"But I should have done something. I am supposed to protect the temple, to guide the faithful. Yet, I stood there while they—"

"Enough. You did all you could, and that’s more than enough."

Auriel’s tone was softer now, but still commanding.

Lilith looked as if she wanted to argue, but in the end, she only let out a quiet sigh.

"Go get some rest. You’ve done more than your share today"

Auriel continued.

Lilith hesitated before nodding.

"As you wish, Goddess."

She turned to Carol and the other priestesses still standing nearby.

"Come. Let’s give the Goddess some time alone."

Carol looked hesitant, but she, too, eventually followed after Lilith, leading the others out of the hall.

As the doors shut behind them, Auriel exhaled and sank onto the steps of the altar, resting her elbows on her knees.

Now that she was alone, the weight of what had just happened settled on her shoulders.

She had lost her temper.

She had let those foolish nobles get under her skin, had snapped at them, had unleashed her divine presence in a way that she hadn’t intended.

She had forced them to kneel.

It wasn’t as if they hadn’t deserved it. They had mocked her, doubted her, insulted her in her own temple. But still...

Auriel sighed, rubbing her face.

This wasn’t how a goddess was supposed to act.

She had spent centuries maintaining a divine, untouchable image, appearing before mortals only when necessary, speaking in measured words, never letting emotions get the better of her.

But today, she had been frustrated. Irritated. Angry.

And she had let it show.

Her fingers curled into fists.

She shouldn’t care what a handful of nobles thought. And yet, their words had struck a nerve in a way she hadn’t expected.

Had she been too human just now?

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