The room had been quiet for too long. Papers rustled, chairs creaked, and Sara sighed for what felt like the tenth time.
Twelve Saints stood waiting inside the Head of Saints' office, Father Raymond Clarke.
The air smelled faintly of old wood and incense.
Ben leaned back against the desk beside her, arms folded. "You're gonna wear that sigh out," he said.
Sara shot him a look. "He was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago."
"Relax," Ben said. "He'll show."
"Yeah, well, maybe the almighty inspector got lost," she muttered, adjusting her scarf.
Beatrice, who'd been quietly fixing her gloves nearby, joined in with a grin. "Maybe he's inspecting other churches first. Heard St. Michael's had a full-on vampire tantrum last month."
Sara rolled her eyes. "Lucky them. Maybe he should stay there."
Ben chuckled. "You're acting like this guy's here to personally ruin your day."
"He's here to question everything we do. That's close enough."
Before Ben could reply, the door creaked open.
A tall man stepped in, at least six-foot-two, dressed in a dark suit with a red tie and sky-blue shirt. His steps were measured, his presence heavy but calm. There was something commanding about him, like he'd walked through darker halls than anyone here ever would. His eyes moved slowly across the room, sharp and assessing, and every Saint instinctively straightened their back.
Even Father Raymond Clarke, stopped mid-sentence, almost as if words had escaped him.
Beatrice's hand froze halfway through fixing her robe. Her eyes widened a little, mouth slightly open. "Oh my God…" she whispered, barely audible, then quickly added under her breath, "Why didn't anyone say the inspector looked like that?"
Sara glanced around, she wasn't the only one noticing. A few Saints looked flustered; one even shifted nervously under Edgard's gaze. His presence alone had the room moving differently.
Father Clarke cleared his throat. "Saints," he began, voice a bit tighter than usual, "this is Inspector Edgard Omekro, from the Bureau of Spiritual Affairs."
Edgard gave a small, polite nod.
Edgard took a few steps forward, his shoes barely making a sound on the floor. "I must apologize for my late arrival," he began, his tone was smooth. "There were… matters along the way that demanded my undivided attention. Urgent, and most inconvenient."
Sara leaned closer to Ben, whispering just loud enough for Beatrice to hear, "Yeah, sure. Just say you're irresponsible."
Before Ben could even smirk, Edgard's eyes shifted, a sharp glance over his shoulder, cutting through the air like he had heard every word. Sara froze. His expression didn't change, but the message in that look was clear enough.
He turned back to Father Raymond. "You all know why I am here," he said plainly. "I intend to review every exorcism record, observe your practices, and evaluate the authenticity of your results."
Father Raymond nodded quickly. "Of course, Inspector. We've arranged for you to be accompanied by one of our Saints. Saint Isaiah will…"
"That will not be necessary," Edgard interrupted. His voice didn't rise, but it filled the room. "I will be paired with the Saint over there."
He pointed, without looking, straight at Sara.
Sara blinked, caught completely off guard. "Wait… me?"
Edgard turned his head slightly. "Yes. Unless, of course, you have something you'd rather I not discover?"
The room went silent.
Father Raymond stepped in quickly, forcing a smile. "Of course not, Inspector. Saint Sara will be more than happy to assist."
Beatrice groaned quietly. "Lucky girl," she muttered, leaning toward Ben.
Sara swallowed, realizing there was no way out of it. "Y–yeah, of course," she said softly, though her tone carried more confusion than agreement.
Edgard gave a single nod, the faintest hint of a smirk on his face. "Good. Then we understand each other."