Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard-Chapter 81: Whispers in the City- Part 3

"Miss."

Auriel turned her head slightly, expecting to see another vendor, but instead, she found herself staring at a teenage boy.

He was thin, with sharp eyes that seemed both cautious and curious. His clothes were simple and worn, the kind that suggested he belonged to the lower class, but his posture held an odd confidence.

She tilted her head slightly, studying him.

"Yes?"

The boy’s gaze flickered briefly to Carol, who was standing in the distance, then back to Auriel.

"You’re interested, aren’t you?"

He said, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

Auriel’s fingers tightened slightly around the warm pastry in her hand.

"Interested in what?" she asked, playing along.

The boy smirked faintly, as if he saw through her pretense.

"The Holy Sanctuary of Salvation."

Auriel’s breath caught for a brief moment, but she kept her expression neutral. The Sanctuary of Salvation? Was that the center of this so-called new religious allegiance?

She kept her voice calm.

"And what if I am?"

The boy glanced at Carol again, then took a small step closer to Auriel before he whispered.

"I can take you there. But only if you come alone."

Auriel’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Alone?"

The boy nodded.

"Your companion... she doesn’t seem very keen on finding salvation."

His lips curled into a knowing smile.

Auriel glanced at Carol out of the corner of her eye. She was standing with her arms crossed, clearly still annoyed from earlier.

There was no doubt that if she heard this conversation, she would protest immediately.

Auriel turned back to the boy.

"And why would you trust me? I’m just a traveler."

The boy shrugged.

"I have a feeling about you. I think you’re more open to the truth than you let on"

He said simply.

Auriel exhaled slowly. This was a strange situation, but she couldn’t ignore it.

"When and where?"

She asked.

A spark of satisfaction flickered in the boy’s eyes.

"Same place. This evening."

And before Auriel could ask anything else, he turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd, vanishing like a shadow.

Auriel stared after him for a moment, then slowly looked down at the still-warm pastry in her hand.

Something was definitely happening in this city, and she had just been given the key to unlocking it.

Now, she just had to decide whether to take the risk.

It might be worth it in the end

Auriel returned to Carol, holding out the warm snack she had bought. Carol accepted it, her expression softening slightly as she took a bite.

The rich, buttery flavor seemed to help ease some of her earlier frustration, but her sharp eyes didn’t miss the distant look on Auriel’s face.

"Goddess Auriel, is something wrong?" free𝑤ebnovel.com

Carol began slowly, chewing thoughtfully before she asked.

Auriel blinked, her fingers tightening slightly at her sides. She had expected Carol to notice, but she hadn’t wanted to involve her in this matter—not yet, at least.

The less Carol knew, the easier it would be to slip away unnoticed later.

So, Auriel forced a small, reassuring smile.

"It’s nothing. Just thinking about everything we saw today."

Carol frowned slightly but didn’t push. Instead, she exhaled through her nose and nodded.

"Let’s head back, then. I don’t think we’ll get much else from the city for now."

Auriel nodded, grateful that Carol didn’t pry further. Together, they made their way back to the temple as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a golden-orange glow over the city

______

The moment they stepped into the temple, they were greeted by Priestess Lilith, who had clearly been waiting for them.

She stood near the entrance, arms crossed, her deep purple robes pristine as always, but her brows furrowed in concern.

"You’re back. Did you manage to find anything?"

Lilith said, eyes scanning both of them carefully.

Carol shook her head immediately.

"No. Most of the people in the city refused to talk about anything. It was a waste of time"

She said flatly.

Auriel, however, remained silent. She didn’t confirm nor deny Carol’s statement, which was enough for Lilith to notice.

The priestess’s sharp eyes flickered to Auriel, but she didn’t press her for an answer. Instead, she sighed and rubbed her temple.

"I see. This whole situation is troubling...It would be best to remain cautious. Whatever this ’new allegiance’ is, the people are either too afraid or too devoted to speak openly about it. That alone makes it dangerous."

Lilith muttered, mostly to herself.

Auriel hummed in agreement, though she said nothing more.

Lilith studied her for another moment before nodding.

"You both should rest. I’ll have the priestesses keep an eye on the city for any more rumors."

Carol stretched her arms above her head, already turning toward the hallway leading to their rooms.

"Good. I’m exhausted. I’ll turn in early."

Auriel followed, her movements calm and measured, but her mind was elsewhere. The boy’s words echoed in her head.

"Meet me at the same place in the evening."

As the temple settled into the quiet of night, Auriel lay on her bed, pretending to sleep while she listened for any signs of movement in the halls.

Once she was certain the temple had grown silent, she rose from her bed and carefully draped herself in a dark cloak.

With one last glance toward the door, she slipped out into the night.

It was time to meet the boy and uncover the truth.

Auriel moved silently through the temple corridors, her steps light as a feather. The moonlight filtered through the grand windows, casting silver beams along the stone walls.

She kept her hood low, careful to avoid the night patrols of the priestesses.

Once she reached the outer gates, she took a deep breath and slipped through the shadows, blending into the darkness of the sleeping city.

The streets were quieter now, but an eerie tension lingered in the air. She quickened her pace, heart pounding with anticipation.

Whatever this "Holy Sanctuary of Salvation" was, she would find out soon enough.

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