A grinding noise rumbles in the hallway as the double metal door glides open. Raia, Nathan, Raiden, Cyrus, and Sonnet walk in through the entryway.

"They're here!" someone exclaims in a shrill voice, presumably the petite girl standing before them, who appears to be expecting their arrival. With her long white-blond ponytail that accentuates her snowflake skin, she will be mistaken for a ghost. She's wearing an Aragon uniform, which consists of a black swing coat with purple linings and a belt.

After a few seconds of checking their appearance with her peacock-blue eyes, she brightens and sprints forward. Soon, her face is buried in Sonnet's chest, and her arms are wrapped tightly around the woman like a child who hasn't seen her mother in a long time.

"I miss you, Miss Sonnet!" squeals the girl, squeezing the woman tightly.

Sonnet giggles and pats her head. "How long have you been here, Sunshine?"

Sunshine pulls away from her. "I came with Inspector Antoine, and we've only been here an hour."

Sonnet, Cyrus, and even Raiden and Nathan appear stunned, as though she has just delivered bad news.

Raia's gaze sweeps over them, a frown forming on her brow. An air of discomfort is seeping through the atmosphere.

An Inspector? Sounds like a person with authority. Maybe even superior to Cyrus.

Cyrus and Sonnet exchange a firm look before making their way to the wooden round table.

Raia scrutinizes the small girl with narrowed eyes. Sunshine is too young to be a disciple and go out killing demons. She must be around twelve years old or younger based on her appearance. Raia can't believe there will be a kid in the organization, let alone an Aragon. Wouldn't the job be traumatic for her, given that she's fighting demons with human looks?

"I'm so worried about you guys after hearing what happened," Sunshine says, her voice filled with concern. Upon noticing Raia's presence, she does a double-take.

"Oh! Who is she? I've never seen her before. New disciple?" Despite her small stature, she has a high-pitched voice that can be heard throughout the place. She approaches Raia and extends her hand without waiting for a response.

"Hello! I'm Sunshine Montanari, and I'm from Raquelean Branch. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss?" Her lips widen into a big smile, and she flutters her eyelashes at Raia like a child seeking attention.

Nathan gives a long, noisy sigh. "The kid is here again."

Sunshine's beaming face contorts into a scowl as she stares at Nathan. "Shut up, you moron!"

Raia raises an eyebrow, taken aback by her sudden outburst.

Sunshine bows her head in apology. "I'm so sorry about that."

Nathan's laughter rumbles like mocking thunder. "I apologize on behalf of the kid, Raia."

A tall young man in a long black coat — an Aragon uniform — approaches them and wraps his arm around Nathan's shoulder.

"You're making fun of Sunshine again, eh?" The young man chuckles. He appears to be in his early twenties and has short brown curly hair. His golden tanned skin glows in the gentle light, complementing his sparkling jade eyes, which are fixed on Raia.

Nathan displays a wide grin on his face. "Yeah, but you need to be careful around her, Nihar."

Nihar gives him a puzzled look, but all he gets is a shrug from the grinning man.

Sunshine turns scarlet, but she says nothing. She lowers her flushed face and chews her lips in embarrassment. When she raises her head to look at Raia, her eyes look glossy, as if she is about to cry. "I . . . I'm not a kid. Don't listen to that moron. Regardless of my height, I'm already eighteen years old."

Raia's eyes widen as she stares at the girl who is a few inches shorter than her. She really thought she's a kid. Even her behavior fits her child-like features.

"I can't still believe she's the same age as me," Nathan says, shaking his head.

"She may look like a ten-year-old, but she's much older than us. One year older in particular," Raiden remarks as he appears beside Raia. He looks at her and his mouth curves into a sheepish smile.

"I -" he starts, but Sunshine's high-pitched voice cuts him off.

"So what's your name?" Sunshine's eyes twinkle as she looks at Raia.

Cyrus' voice cuts Raia off before she can respond. "Come on in, you guys."

Raia and the others march toward the round table, their footsteps echoing in the stillness. She frowns upon seeing a new face among Cyrus, Sonnet, and the other staff. He's a tall, muscular man with fringed brown hair who's dressed in a long purple trench coat. He appears to be in his mid-forties. The Nirvana Order emblem is pinned to his left chest.

The atmosphere becomes tense as Raia and others take their seats, embracing them with deafening silence. The man's dark brown eyes are fixed on Raiden, a hard expression on his face, then he looks at Raia. He raises an ombre eyebrow at her as he studies her features.

The man clears his throat, and everyone in the room straightens up, including Cyrus. His presence surely musters such authority. Raia believes he is the Inspector Sunshine mentioned earlier.

"I've come here after receiving word from Bishop Cyrus that the Blood Demons have returned," the Inspector says. His eyes flicker to Raiden. "According to your Bishop, you fought with one."

"We did, Inspector Antoine," Raiden responds, shooting a sidelong glance towards Raia.

The Inspector lifts an eyebrow at him.

"I see. It's great to hear you're still alive." Despite his statement, there is a firmness in his voice that sounds menacing. "A Laity reported to us yesterday. Lorcan Osorio, a Samaelean Branch Aragon, was discovered dead in front of a church. His body was severely mutilated, and his arms and legs seem to have blown to pieces. Chunks of flesh and bones were scattered around his corpse."

Gasps fill the place and terror crosses their features. Raia, on the other hand, wrinkles her brow as she mulls over what the man has just said.

One man abruptly rises from his seat, disbelief on his face. He has blond slicked-back hair and a crimson coat on. "But Lorcan is one of our most powerful warriors, and he's never had any trouble battling against Outcasts and Cimmerians."

"Esmun's right," Milan, who sits next to the aforementioned man, says. "Lorcan's strength is comparable to that of Apostles. And I'm sure he could form a successful contract with an angel if he tried."

A look of firmness passes across Cyrus's face. "It's a Blood Demon. Things are different now."

Esmun regards Cyrus with a frown. "How can you be so sure?"

"We don't need any proof to prove that," Antoine supplies. "His death is more than enough evidence of that."

Esmun lowers his head and sits back down.

"But here's the strange thing," Antoine continues. "His necklace wasn't with him."

"Are you implying that a Blood Demon took it?" Sonnets remarks. "But why? Since the owner is no longer alive, that artifact should no longer be functional. The power contained within that necklace should be . . ."

Cyrus nods, a frown on his face. "That's right. But why would a Blood Demon take it?" Then, as if realizing something, his eyes widen. "Can't they possibly . . ."

Antoine narrows his eyes and nods, confirming his suspicion. "That could be the reason. That is why you must always be on guard, especially you warriors of the Light." His eyes flicker to Raiden. The boy wears an unreadable expression.

Raiden meets his gaze with unblinking eyes and steels himself to a rigid posture, as one would normally do when confronted by an intimidating figure.

"Yes, sir," Raiden replies stiffly.

Antoine snorts and rises from his seat, his chair scraping the floor. "I've heard you were seriously injured. You'd still be in the hospital if it weren't for the healer."

A shadow of guilt darkens Raiden's features. He lowers his head. The air around them becomes tense all of a sudden.

"Would you please stand?" Antoine orders, and the befuddled Raiden obeys.

Antoine fills the silence with the heavy treads of his boots. To everyone's surprise, he slaps the boy across the face with his open palm.

Every pair of eyes grow wide in horror and total disbelief, yet they remain in their place and do nothing - except for Cyrus. He stands abruptly with a twisted expression on his face.

"Inspector!" Cyrus blurts out, but Antoine holds up his hand. He sits back down and grits his teeth in frustration, unable to do anything. Sonnet taps his shoulder to calm him down.

Nathan's eyes darken as he glares at the inspector, but he remains silent. His fists are clenched on the table.

The temperature around them suddenly plummets. Raia's gaze darts around until it lands on Raiden. The boy stands in a sagging posture, his head hung low. His left cheek is red with blood.

The Inspector wipes the blood from his silver cross ring with a white handkerchief and heaves a sigh of disappointment. The silver ring gleams in the light, emphasizing its purity once more, and he tosses the blood-stained cloth onto the table. His frown deepens into a scowl as he observes Raiden's appearance. The boy has the look of someone caving into emotions.

"Raiden Oliver Kara." The Inspector's deep and harsh voice bounces off the concrete walls. "A disciple from Mikaelean Branch under Bishop Galbraith's administration. I don't like what you're becoming. You are a destroyer of darkness; you must not allow emotions to control you. Keep in mind that you are here to destroy darkness. You exist to serve Azarios without getting lost in this world or yourself. Your life belongs to the Light."

The Inspector takes a half-turn and looks at Raia. He runs his gaze over her, and one corner of his mouth quirks up. "You must be the healer. It's great to have someone like you in the Order."

Raia's face remains expressionless as she meets his intimidating gaze. She doesn't understand fully the situation, and she has no idea who the man is. They call him the Inspector, and it's apparent that he holds such authority in the place.

"I'm really grateful you were with Raiden. We might have already lost one warrior if it hadn't been for you. So I'm thinking . . . you two should always be assigned to missions together, "Antoine declares. He sweeps his gaze over them, an enigmatic smile on his face, then looks at Raia again.

"I'm sure you don't know who I am, so allow me to explain. I'm General Inspector Antoine Lewis of the Carnegie Corps, the armed forces of the Holy Church, and that also makes me in charge of the Order." He pauses and gives her a smug smile. "And now, I'm ordering you, little disciple, to stay with this boy during your missions and use your healing if his body requires it."

"She will not!" Raiden growls before Raia can respond.

Antoine scowls and raises a hand, but Nathan leaps from his seat and grabs the man's wrist before he can slap Raiden again.

"Nathan!" Nihar hisses, rising from his seat. He casts a wary look between him and Antoine.

"Touch him again, and words will reach the Ministry leaders," Nathan snarls, his eyes blazing.

Antoine's lips curl into a wry smile as he stares with equal intensity into Nathan's coal-black eyes. "Bishop Galbraith, are you perhaps failing to keep track of the behavior of your people?"

Cyrus stiffens, but he quickly regains his composure. He clenches his fists and clears his throat, his gaze fixed on Nathan. "Nathan Farquharson, please be mindful of your behavior."

When Nathan refuses to let go of Antoine's wrist, Nihar takes the initiative and drags him away from the Inspector's reach.

Antoine's cold stare pierces him. "Do you wish to return to your home and forget about being a disciple? I'd be more than happy to send you back." A wicked grin spreads across his face. When Nathan stiffens, his eyes gleam with amusement.

Nathan casts one last glare at the man before settling into the seat next to Nihar.

Antoine snorts and returns his attention to Raiden. "As I previously stated, you will need to stay close to the healer at all times to avoid being killed. Is that clear?"

When Raiden doesn't respond, Antoine asks again, this time in a louder and stronger tone of voice. "Is that clear, Raiden Oliver Kara?"

Raiden looks at Raia, but the girl only stares at him, her eyes vacant. She maintains a neutral expression as she analyzes the situation at hand.

Raia has a vague recollection of a similar situation. Cyrus had previously requested her cooperation in looking after Raiden before they embarked on their mission. Cyrus's desperation to keep Raiden safe has to be related to the current situation. And, based on what she's seen recently with Nathan, the Inspector doesn't seem to treat other Aragons the same way he does Raiden. So there's definitely something strange going on here. They're treating Raiden as if he's a valuable object that must be protected.

They're concealing something important, something related to Raiden's existence.

Does it have anything to do with that as well? Raia reflects on Raiden's abrupt change of demeanor during their fight with the Cimmerian.

Anyhow, I'm going to have to keep an eye on that disciple and figure it out on my own.

Raiden grits his teeth. "I . . . I can't."

Antoine grabs Raiden's chin and forces him to look him in the eyes. "You don't make your own decisions here, boy. I decide things here, and I'm ordering you to stay with the healer at all costs."

"You're not going to ask my opinion on this, Inspector?" Raia speaks up, emphasizing his title.

Antoine looks at her with a scowl on his face, as if he doesn't expect her to speak. "What are you trying to say, healer?"

Despite being in the presence of someone in authority, Raia's eyes show no signs of fear or inferiority. "I'm saying that I want my voice to be heard on this matter. It's my power, after all."

The Inspector snorts and lets Raiden go, shoving him so hard that he almost falls backward. "Don't you dare disobey me too, newbie."

"I don't care if you have power over this organization, Inspector. If you disregard the opinions of others, I don't think you deserve my respect. Especially after seeing how you treat your people." Her eyes darken as she stares at him.

"I'm the healer, so I get to decide when and with whom I use my power," she continues, a note of firmness in her voice. She doesn't know why she suddenly feels angry after seeing Antoine hurt Raiden. But, after hearing his pitiful reason and how he's attempting to control the life of an innocent boy, she can't just sit back and watch it happen before her eyes.

Just by observing Antoine, Raia can already tell what kind of person he is. He's a cruel man who enjoys using his authority to compel others to do his will. Those sharp eyes of his clearly indicate that he is someone with a manipulative nature, and those kinds of people are someone Raia can easily recognize. Based on his recent actions, he doesn't seem to care about the Aragons' well-being. And he scolded Raiden not because he cares about the boy's life, but because he cares about him as an object.

He's not an enemy, but he's also not someone she can call an ally. Someone cannot be trusted. Raia will have to keep an eye on this man and figure out the reason for his harsh action toward Raiden.

"I just fixed his body, after all, so don't go ruining it again. And what? Is being injured now a sin? Is there such a rule I'm not aware of?" Raia's voice is quiet and calm, but there is an edge to it. "Do you even know what it means to be a warrior? As a member of the military, and an inspector at that, you must know more than anyone else in this room. Every time we leave this place, there's no guarantee we'll return. And Kara is no exemption."

"Y-you! How dare you speak to me in that manner!"

"Inspector," Raia drawls. "Don't overstep your authority. I'm an Aragon, so I'm already your weapon. Being your healer is something entirely different. I don't like it when someone tries to take over my entire life."

Antoine's jaw tightens but he doesn't say anything.

"Don't take away my last vestiges of liberty," Raia adds in a calm voice, a wave of rage washing over her.

Cyrus clears his throat after an endless stretch of tense silence.

"Inspector, Raia's right," Cyrus says. "I don't think it's something we still have a hold on. Let her make her own decision about this. And I doubt the Ministry's leaders will agree on this either."

"What a surprise. So you don't want to ensure this boy's safety?" Antoine sneers.

Cyrus flinches for a split second but quickly recovers. "We must still respect the opinions of our people. Healing, in particular, is not something that can be done easily." He gives Raia a hesitant look.

"So, healer, you don't care if someone dies just because you refuse to heal them?" Antoine says as he approaches Raia and towers over her, attempting to appear intimidating, but Raia's face remains impassive.

"That's no longer my problem nor do I care," Raia answers, her face devoid of any expression. "I'm only here to destroy demons. If I see fit to save someone, then I'll act like a savior."

"How despicable! How daring of you to say such an immoral thing. Do you even hear yourself? You're a disciple of Light. Act like one!"

"Is it now a rule to act like a saint?"

"What -" Antoine starts, but Raia cuts him off.

"As I've said, I decide when and with whom I use my power. I don't want anyone forcing me to use my healing on random people."

Don't make me come to the conclusion that this organization is no different than that orphanage.

"The angels must have made a mistake in blessing someone as cruel as you," Antoine speaks in a low voice, glaring at her, but Raia only stares at him with an unwavering gaze. The inspector is the first to look away. He takes a step back and glances at Cyrus. "Nonetheless, I command that these two be assigned to the same team. Permanently." His lips form a smirk. "Let us put this matter to rest right now. So, healer, do you mind if I inquire about the whereabouts of your master?" His eyes flicker back to Raia.

"I'm afraid I don't have anything to tell you," Raia responds, "my master said nothing to me when we parted ways."

Which is, unfortunately, true. Even when they left their dwelling and Simon escorted her to the port, he never told her where he was going until she boarded a boat. Raia didn't even bother asking because she knew he wouldn't tell her anyway. Even when she was young, he never told her where he went. Some days she'd just find herself alone in the house with a letter from her master that she'd somehow stopped reading because he only wrote the same words in every letter he left.

"I'll be back!"

Until now, Raia has no idea where her master is.

Antoine sets his mouth into a hard line and furrows his eyebrows, seemingly deep in thought. He then shrugs his shoulders after a long silence. "Well, then, get ready; you'll have your Presentation in three weeks."

As if he has nothing else to say, Antoine walks past Raiden and heads over to the entrance. As the door pulls apart, a loud grinding sound interrupts the silence. He pauses for a brief moment to light a cigarette before disappearing from their sight.