The next morning, my phone buzzed while I was getting dressed.
(Sorry about yesterday)
A second message appeared.
(Please don’t come to my house again unless I tell you to.)
Well.
That wasn’t ominous at all.
I considered asking what happened after I left, but decided against it.
If she wanted to tell me, she would. And after everything that happened yesterday, giving her some space was probably the smarter choice.
"Alright. Just let me know when you’re free."
I put my phone away and returned my attention to the mirror.
The fitted black suit I’d bought looked better on me than expected.
Combined with the white shirt and black shoes, I looked like a car salesman who would definitely lie about the mileage.
’Not bad.’
Today was finally the day of the gathering.
’Time to meet my future slaves... I mean, members.’
Shit. That speech from last night left a deeper mark than I thought.
Seriously, that book and the system had been nothing but a bad influence on me so far.
One hour later.
The venue was already busy by the time I arrived.
Several cars were pulling into the parking area, while small groups of people made their way toward the entrance.
Almost everyone was dressed formally. Suits, blazers, dresses, neatly pressed shirts.
If I hadn’t known what kind of organization was holding the gathering, I would’ve assumed I’d stumbled into a business conference.
Most of the people around me looked to be in their late forties to sixties.
’Makes sense. Prime midlife-crisis territory.’
I followed the crowd into the spacious, brightly lit event hall, where rows of chairs faced a stage at the far end.
Around me, an elderly couple discussed their grandchildren, two men in suits talked about work, and a young woman laughed at something her friend whispered in her ear.
’Where exactly is the cult part? Don’t tell me I accidentally joined some wholesome spiritual group that actually helps people.’
The idea terrified me.
Then five young women walked into the hall, all dressed in long black skirts and white tops. They were all attractive, but one immediately caught my attention.
She was beautiful, with long black hair, dark eyes, and delicate features that made her stand out from the others.
Apparently, I’d been staring long enough for her to notice.
Our eyes met, and she gave me a polite smile.
’I love her already.’
Maybe this place wasn’t so bad after all.
As the hall continued to fill, I figured I might as well start working the room before the ceremony began.
Naturally, my eyes drifted toward the women from earlier.
Their group had grown from five to nearly twenty, all wearing the same white tops and black skirts.
’Definitely core members.’
Which meant they were exactly the kind of people I should be talking to.
I started walking toward their corner.
"Young man."
A woman who looked to be in her forties stood in front of me. Her clothes were similar to those worn by the younger women, although hers were more formal.
Her dark hair was neatly tied back, and the pleasant smile on her face somehow managed to feel polite and authoritative at the same time.
"I’m afraid this area is reserved for our main members. Are you perhaps new?"
"Yeah. I’m here to see if this place is right for me."
The smile on her face grew wider.
"Oh! You should’ve said so."
"Welcome." She placed a hand lightly against my arm. "I’m so glad you decided to join us today."
Maybe this worked on other people, but I came here with an agenda of my own. She could kiss my ass all day and it wouldn’t change anything.
"Thanks."
"You must have so many questions."
"A few."
"I hope you find your answers here. Just remember, you’re not an outsider anymore. The moment you stepped through those doors, you became one of us."
I just nodded.
"My name is Sister Miriam. If you ever feel uncomfortable or need anything, you can come directly to me."
"Anything?"
"Anything."
"Then can I talk to them? Most of the people in the back aren’t around my age, so I was hoping I could sit with them instead."
She tried her best to maintain her polite smile.
"Is that a problem?"
"Of course not, but—"
"I thought you said I wasn’t an outsider anymore." I glanced around. "Or does that mean I’m not actually welcome here?"