I’m an Immigration Officer!

What the hell.
I’m confused.

The Saintess suddenly jumped up from her seat, and now that Holy Knight is looking at me like he’s lost his entire country.
'Did I say something weird?'
No matter how much I think about it, there’s nothing I said that could be considered a diplomatic faux pas.

"Is there some kind of problem-,"
"Are you really, really the Chief Inspector? The Chief Inspector?"
The Saintess abruptly cut me off and leaned her body forward, closing the distance between us.
Her golden eyes sparkled so intensely it was almost overwhelming.

I leaned back as far as I could and replied,
"Ah, yes. T-That’s right. The official title for my position is Chief Inspector."
"Are you absolutely, without a shred of doubt, telling the truth? Swear it to the Lord?"
This time, she leaned in even closer—her face barely a hand’s width away from mine.

The faint scent of warm sunshine tickled the tip of my nose.
What the hell is wrong with this woman?
I subtly glanced over to the Holy Knight behind her, silently begging for assistance.

But he just shook his head with a deep sigh, as if the shock was too much to bear.
"Haa, good grief. What kind of coincidence is this..."
What the hell is wrong with him now?

Realizing that there was no one to help me, I forced a smile and addressed the Saintess.
"Ah, the inspection isn’t over yet, so I’d appreciate it if you could just remain seated-,"
"Swear it to the Lord????"
Ah, fuck me.

She stared at me like she would never back down until I gave her the answer she wanted.
I can’t push her away.
If I dared to touch the Saintess’s body carelessly, my wrist would be severed without question.
But if I said, ‘You’re too close. Could you back off a little?’ that would definitely be a diplomatic offense.

There was no way out.
I had no choice but to give her the answer she wanted.
"Yes, that’s correct."

Dropping my smile, I met her golden eyes head-on and spoke clearly.
"This officer is currently the Chief Inspector and Senior Immigration Officer of the Southern Border Immigration Department, Nadan Kell."
Assistant, hurry up and bring me the seal.

I’m about to die from this unbearable tension.
 
****

Ecstasy.
The first emotion Erjena felt was ecstasy.
Once again, she was convinced that this was fate.

Among all the inspectors, the first one she encountered, the one who conducted her inspection, was none other than the Chief Inspector.
What a remarkable coincidence.
"As expected, it’s the guidance of the Lord."

The Lord always acted in this way.
He weaved together coincidences, accidents, and the unexpected to create a tapestry named inevitability.
And this time as well, He acted in such a way.

"Without having to search, without even having to ask, He allowed me to meet the Chief Inspector so naturally..."
The Saintess trembled all over at the sheer perfection of this method.
— Haaah... My Looord...

Ah, His love truly knows no bounds.
While fulfilling the cult’s long-standing wish — the Northern Expedition — He once again revealed His omnipotence through such a predestined encounter.
A thrill akin to what she felt on stage surged through her entire body.

Ah, My Looord... My Loooord, My Loooord, My Loooord, My Loooord, My Loooord-
— Ahem! Ahem! E-er, Saintess?
— Ahhh... My Looord... Huh?
Erjena barely snapped out of her trance at the sound of Moahim’s sudden cough.

He looked extremely uncomfortable, his eyes darting around nervously.
— There are a lot of eyes watching. Perhaps you should maintain some decorum...
— Decorum? What are you talki-
And that’s when Erjena finally realized what position she was currently in.

She was practically on top of the table, leaning so close to the Chief Inspector that she was nearly pressed against him.
The distance between them was barely a hand’s breadth.
Close enough to feel his breath.

— ...
— ...
Every single gaze in the room was fixed on them. People were standing there with their mouths agape.
— Oh.

Her golden eyes met the man’s black eyes.
The events of the past few moments flashed through her mind like a whirlwind.
The strange moans, the shuddering body, the heated sighs she let out while submerged in ecstasy.

— Ahh... My Looord...
The posture and voice she had shown before this man... were incredibly obscene.
— Uh...!!!!!!!

The Saintess’ face turned bright red in an instant.
— A-ahaha. Deep faith is always admirable.
The Chief Inspector offered an awkward compliment with a forced smile.

But his eyes were trembling violently.
Moreover, he was leaning back so far to avoid any contact with her that he was on the verge of toppling over.
— Ssssssk.

The moment Erjena regained her senses, she snapped back to her seat at lightning speed. Then, in a barely audible voice, she muttered:
— My apologies. It’s just... it was the first time I heard such a title...
— No, no. It’s fine. The title is rather unusual, after all. I understand.
— No, really. I think it’s a very cool name. Chief Inspector.
She slightly narrowed her eyes and smiled.

— A truly cool name...
With those words, she subtly moved her left hand behind her back, signaling to Moahim.
"Remember our agreement, Moahim? We ‘accidentally’ ran into him, so don’t interfere."

The response came immediately.
"No. This is not our primary objective! And besides, you haven’t even received the entry permit yet, so for now, just-
"Ooooh? A Holy Knight ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) breaking a promise? A promise made to the Saintess? Are you sure you want me to tell the Lord?"
A Holy Knight’s oath, no matter how minor, must never be broken. Exploiting that loophole, the leader of the Knights fell silent.

"Don’t worry. I won’t ask directly."
Meanwhile, unaware of their silent conversation, Nadan clapped his hands loudly, redirecting the room’s attention.
— Alright, everyone. That’s enough watching. Please get back to your duties.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he began sorting through his papers and straightened his posture.
— The aide will bring the stamp soon. Please wait a bit longer. Apologies for the delay in the entry process.
— It’s fine. The hourglass hasn’t run out yet. If the Chief Inspector doesn’t mind, shall we chat a bit?
— It would be my honor.
Aside from the euphoria and the shame, Erjena’s mind was already regaining its clarity.

Once the climax passed, her excitement quickly subsided, and calmness took its place.
"Now I know that this man is the Chief Inspector. But there’s still more to confirm."
The Lord had guided her to the one she was seeking.

But was he truly a Talent Manifestor?
That was another matter entirely.
At this moment, she couldn’t be certain whether this Nadan Kell was the ‘real’ Talent Manifestor.

"A Talent Manifestor that our cult doesn’t know about... Could that really be true?"
Asking directly was not an option.
The moment she asked that question, it would become obvious that the cult was unaware of his existence.

And if the cult of the Lord had failed to recognize one of His chosen ones, it would be nothing short of a confession of incompetence.
"First, I need to verify the other things. Then, I can slowly work my way to the main point."
First, she needed to determine the truth behind the rumors.

— By the way, I heard that the Chief Inspector is quite a capable person. Is that true?
The Chief Inspector glanced at the hourglass still trickling down sand, then gave her a friendly smile.
— You flatter me. Rumors always tend to be exaggerated. I’m just a civil servant doing his best to fulfill his duties.

A response as modest as could be.
A tired yet diligent young man smiled as if he was working for a higher cause, for a sense of duty and purpose.
Before the Saintess sat the very image of a dutiful, hardworking young man of this era.

— Diligence is a virtue that the Lord greatly favors. Chief Inspector, your... huh?
But just as she tried to continue, a strange feeling crept over her.
— Saintess? Are you alright?
— Ah, yes. I’m fine. Just... stumbled over my words a bit.

His neat attire, restrained movements, and smooth speech formed a perfect harmony.
But something felt off.
It was as if there was a pitch-black hole in an otherwise perfectly drawn painting.

"What... is this?"
For the first time in her life, Erjena tilted her head in confusion.
Was he trying to hide something?

"Then, let’s ask a few more questions and see."
Erjena brightened her expression, feigning surprise as she spoke cheerfully.
— "I heard that you recently subdued the Wrathful Fire Spirit with your bare hands. My goodness, even our Holy Knights struggle with that!"

— Flinch.
— "Haha, it was merely a small cultural misunderstanding. Fortunately, they were gracious enough to let it slide, so it was resolved smoothly. Oh, rumors do spread quickly. How embarrassing."
Once again, the Chief Inspector smoothly avoided a direct answer.

It was a response that seemed to provide an answer without actually confirming or denying anything.
But even though it was less than two seconds, the Saintess definitely saw it.
A moment of discomfort. Eyebrows twitching nervously. Eyes averting hers as if avoiding direct contact.

— "Hmmm. Is that so..."
Erjena let out a small, nonchalant hum, narrowing her eyes.
Only after hearing his answer did she finally realize what that strange sensation was.

"He's lying. And he's uncomfortable with me."
His words and posture were immaculate, but his body language betrayed him too much.
Burying lies beneath truths and desperately trying to act like nothing was wrong.

However, that wasn’t the source of the discomfort she felt.
No. It wasn’t the awkwardness of a lie.
It was something else.

"This man... I can’t feel anything from him."
Everyone in this world had mana, or something equivalent to it.
Even newborn infants possessed a minuscule amount of energy.

Those blessed by the Lord carried divine power, while those cherished by the world carried spiritual energy or mana.
It was one of the fundamental laws of this world.
An unchanging principle. A truth.

Yet from the Chief Inspector, there was no trace of the Lord’s power.
Not even mana.
Nothing.

"What the hell is this?"
The realization that something that should not exist was right before her eyes rendered Erjena momentarily speechless.
She focused her senses more intently to examine him further, but the result remained the same.

"Nothing. Not even a speck. Not even a grain."
Every living being had an aura that should be visible, however faint. But this man had none.
As if he were cut off from the world itself.

Like a black hole carved into a perfectly drawn painting.
Erjena finally understood what she was witnessing.
"Oh my god..."

Before her sat a pitch-black void in the shape of a man.
Emptiness.
That was the energy emanating from the Chief Inspector.

"Is such a thing... even possible?"
An impossible phenomenon. A bizarre form she had never seen before.
Amidst her confusion, a single, undeniable fact emerged in her mind.

"This man is not a Talent Manifestor. He can never be one."
Everything touched by the Lord’s hand bore divine power.
Especially a Talent Manifestor — someone showered with the Lord’s love — would emanate such radiance even more strongly.

There was no way the Saintess wouldn’t have felt it.
A golden glow as dazzling and warm as the sun. There was no way she could miss it.
But black?

A blackness darker than the night sky, emptier than a void?
"This goes against the very principles of this world. There can’t be someone who is... nothing."
Then, was he an unbeliever? A fraud posing as a Talent Manifestor while rejecting the Lord?

"No. He’s not an unbeliever either."
Even those who rejected the Lord still possessed mana.
Blasphemous though they may be, it was an undeniable fact.

There were plenty of mages and elves throughout the continent who used worldly power while denying the Lord’s existence.
"And it doesn’t feel like he’s just pretending to be strong either."
The Chief Inspector didn’t seem like the type to tell such blatant lies that would be easily exposed.

And even if he did, it would have been obvious by now.
Given his previous conduct, devoid of arrogance or boasting, he didn’t seem like someone desperate to show off.
That’s when a single word flashed through Erjena’s mind.

"Cult of the Evil God."
If that was the case, everything would make sense.
His internal scream the moment he saw her for the first time.

His discomfort at being in the same space as her.
The inexplicable void that felt like an abyss within the world itself.
If he were one of those disgusting heretics, then everything fit perfectly.

The ones who not only rejected the Lord but sought to bring destruction to the entire world.
Those who should never have existed in the first place.
Erjena quietly recited a sacred phrase to herself, ensuring no one could hear.

— "Doubt leads to disbelief, but it is also the shortest path to certainty."
And now, she felt as though she had finally found that path.
The Saintess’ eyes gradually sharpened.

"The Lord did not lead us here by chance."
It was not to reveal the blessing of a Talent Manifestor.
No.

The Lord had brought them here to root out a fraud who dared to impersonate His beloved.
"To think I was foolish enough to celebrate like a child..."
How humiliating.

Not only did she misinterpret the Lord’s will, but she had also unwittingly shown affection toward a minion of the Cult of the Evil God.
The warmth she felt toward him moments ago instantly turned to rage.
And that rage transformed into a cold, piercing contempt.

Now, Erjena knew what she had to do.
She had to turn suspicion into certainty.
— Ssssssshh.

The hourglass was nearing its end.
— "There’s just one last question I’d like to ask."
And the final question remained.

The heretic briefly glanced behind him, then looked at the approaching aide in the distance and gave a shallow smile.
— "Ah, the stamp is finally arriving. And since the time is just about up, I suppose one more question won’t hurt."
How utterly disgusting that smile was.

— "How generous of you. Then, I won’t hold back."
She responded with a smile just as icy as his.
— "It’s a very simple question. You only need to answer yes or no."

At that moment, Moahim instantly knew what she was about to ask.
— "Saintess! But that was part of the agreem-"
— "Stand down, Moahim. That’s an order."
Overwhelmed by a sense of dread, the Knight Commander ignored the queue and stepped forward, but Erjena’s raised hand stopped him cold.

— "Moahim? Wait, don’t tell me... You’re Moahim Espirente, the Commander of the First Holy Knight Division?"
A flash of shock crossed the Chief Inspector’s face.
And in that fleeting moment, she struck.

— "Do you believe in the Lord, Nadan Kell?"
The golden halo behind her head began to darken, turning ominously black.