CHAPTER 320: PEACE

"And why the hell do you want to join this cult, Geneva?" William asked. "I need to understand both sides."

If Kali was really telling the truth, she wanted to join the cult to save her family—Rebo and Undir, her husband.

But Geneva? If her reason didn’t have the same weight... William couldn’t stand by her. Joining a cult of dark mages just for the sake of it wasn’t something he could support.

"My sister... She joined that cult five years ago," Geneva said. "That’s why I’m doing everything I can to get in. I need to find her."

At that moment, both women had reasons for seeking entry into the cult. William didn’t know who to trust—or what to do.

"May I suggest something?" he said.

The two stared at him in silence for a moment. Then, finally, they nodded.

"I have the ability to read your memories. I promise I’ll only look for anything related to the cult. May I do that? That way, I’ll know for sure whether you’re telling the truth. Let me be the mediator here."

It felt like the best way to ensure both sides were being honest. And if they were—just maybe—they could work together to fix all this.

Letting someone peek into your memories... anyone would hesitate. It’s a kind of invasion—one that strips away privacy.

Kali and Geneva didn’t answer right away. They needed time to weigh it.

In the end, Kali spoke first.

"I’ll allow it," she said. "And honestly, if she’s telling the truth... maybe we can work together. I’m doing this to save my family. She’s doing it to find hers."

Geneva followed after hearing that. "I agree. But you can only look into memories about necromancy and the cult. I don’t want you knowing my whole life."

"That’s fine," William replied.

He had no interest in digging beyond that anyway. Going through every memory would take time—and could even overload his mind. The goal was clarity, not chaos.

Geneva was first. William explained that resisting the connection would only prolong it—or cause pain.

"Don’t fight back," he said calmly. "Even if you tried, you couldn’t win against me. Let it flow, or you’ll only make it worse for yourself."

Geneva nodded and sat down. William stepped forward and placed a hand on her head. His demonic energy surged gently into her mind.

This would’ve been the moment for mental resistance... but Geneva didn’t resist. Everything went smoothly.

Both of them focused on necromancy—on the cult—creating a shared thread that led William directly to the memories he needed.

He saw Geneva’s sister vanish without a trace. Then the realization: she’d joined the cult. From that day forward, Geneva had done everything she could to infiltrate the group... all to find her.

She was telling the truth.

And more than just seeing it—William could feel it. The grief. A sorrow so deep it felt like a thorn lodged in her heart.

When he finished, he withdrew from her mind. He looked at Kali and said, "She’s being honest. Her sister vanished... and she found out she joined the cult. Seems like the two of you aren’t so different after all."

Kali looked at Geneva, and for the first time, there was no rage in her eyes. They’d known each other for a long time—had their differences—but something had shifted.

Now it was Kali’s turn. William didn’t have to repeat the instructions—she’d heard everything.

He touched her forehead and entered her mind.

Her memories were even heavier.

That raw desperation. Trading her own life in the hopes of sparing Rebo and Undir.

She couldn’t understand—why had the necromancers chosen her family for their twisted ritual?

Why them? It was horrible to think it could’ve been someone else. She knew that. But still... why?

She’d managed to strike a deal: keep her loved ones alive. But that deal was running out.

Soon, it would be time to pay.

If she didn’t follow through—they would die. Escape wasn’t an option. The cult was everywhere. Their power... their reach... enormous.

William absorbed every shard of that truth. And in his mind, another memory surfaced—a similar cult he’d encountered in another kingdom, with roots in the same darkness.

"You’re both telling the truth," William said. "So what now? Fight to the death, or work together to make sure you both get what you want?"

It was a pivotal moment for both women—one that could shape their futures.

Geneva only wanted to join the cult to find her sister. Kali’s goal was to keep her family alive.

"I’ll help you," Kali said. "We can work together to find your sister. And maybe, someday, we’ll take down this cult too. What do you say?"

William stayed silent, letting them sort things out themselves.

"I accept your offer," Geneva said. "But let’s make a blood pact. It’ll ensure no one turns on the other. I trust you... or rather, I trust what William found—but this gives me extra peace of mind."

"Fine," Kali replied. "Since I don’t exactly trust William either, I agree to the pact."

They completed the blood pact without issue. William was surprised by how smoothly it had gone—he’d expected more resistance.

"Looks like we’re all living here now," William said. "You both need to learn necromancy to infiltrate the cult—and we’ve only got one book."

And just like that, everyone—once enemies—was now working together, living in the same house.

William walked over to Kali’s father and extended a hand to help him up. The old man accepted it.

"Sorry about earlier," William said.

He expected Yunk to be furious, but he was surprisingly calm.

"You’re strong," the old man said. "I think we could become good friends. My name’s Yunk."

"Pleasure to meet you. I’m William."

Whether they liked it or not, they all had to get along now. The one who seemed most affected by everything was Rebo.

He was finally reunited with his mother—but it wouldn’t be long before she had to leave again.

William placed a hand on Rebo’s shoulder. "At least now you know why your mother left. It was a noble reason. That’ll give you some peace."

"You’re right, Master... But," Rebo said, eyes filled with determination, "could we train as well? While they infiltrate the cult, we could work from the outside to stop them! If we destroy the cult, my mother will be free."

Truthfully, William didn’t find the idea all that appealing—it sounded exhausting and not something he was eager to do. But with nothing better to do, he agreed.

"I won’t go easy on you," William said.

Yunk stood beside them, having heard the entire exchange.

"I’ll train you too, my grandson. Be ready."