[Blue Archive] I am the Trinity Checkpoint Chief – Chapter 63

As befits the name of a full moon, the Tea Party chamber was still brightly lit even at dawn.

In the Tea Party chamber, devoid of guards or attendants, only Nagisa-sama and I, two students, were breathing. With even the lone attendant and tea tray tucked away in the corner absent, the chamber felt particularly desolate.

There are two scenarios where the guards tasked with protecting Trinity General Academy’s student council president are withdrawn: either the situation is so dire that even the Guard is deployed to the front lines, or the host specifically requests it for a confidential meeting with internal personnel.

Thankfully, this time it was the latter.

“If Hikari-san’s claims are true, this is… how should I put it? I’m not sure if it’s something I should even speak of.”

“If Nagisa-sama feels reluctant to bear the political burden, I’ll say it for you. Honestly, I’m not entirely certain either. But if this is proven true, this matter… yes, it’s rebellion. It can only be defined as such.”

“Are you certain that the Sisterhood was behind surveilling me?”

“It hasn’t been confirmed whether the Sisterhood’s upper echelons were directly involved. Of course, this is an internal Sisterhood document, marked as top secret, but it’s not definitive evidence. I’ll let you know by the end of today.”

I sincerely hope we can confirm this by the end of today—how grateful I’d be to God.

It’s not just any faction—it’s the Sisterhood. If a faction as massive as the Sisterhood, far surpassing the scale of most others, conducted surveillance on public officials in the Tea Party, what kind of political fallout would that cause? The thought alone is overwhelming.

The list of surveillance targets isn’t small either. It includes everyone from club directors to faction leaders, including Nagisa-sama, within and beyond the Tea Party. Even at the Checkpoint, several people, including myself, were listed as targets.

I’ll be calling the convent Mother relentlessly starting this morning. This damned ticking time bomb is the kind that’ll screw me over if I let it sit for even a few days. I’ll need to ask her as soon as we meet:

“Is the Sisterhood truly a traitor to Trinity?”

While I favor reforming Trinity General Academy’s system, this time I’d side with the hardline conservatives. The Sisterhood absolutely cannot be traitors! For the sake of the academy, this must not be true!

“Nagisa-sama, I swear to you, I hope this isn’t true. The Sisterhood is one of the most influential forces in Trinity. If they were to break away, we might need to convene a public council.”

“What exactly are you trying to say, Hikari-san?”

“This might sound a bit rude, but we can’t stop this. The Tea Party would be swept away by political turmoil. Even if they staged a rebellion… Nagisa-sama, to be honest, I don’t know what the Tea Party could do in that scenario. Suppressing it with force isn’t the right answer, is it?”

“Your point is quite valid, Hikari-san. You seem deeply concerned about the possibility that the Sisterhood is indeed behind this document. That’s a relief.”

“A relief…?”

“Yes, because I feel the same way.”

As expected, the host shares my thoughts. Always a few steps ahead, with political acumen rivaling Hanako’s—though admittedly less flexible—how could she not be concerned?

This is good news. It’s definitely good news. Having a political patron who thinks like me is incredibly reassuring! It’s like gaining an extra life. If things proceed this way, I might be able to execute the plan I’ve been mulling over while rushing to the Tea Party.

“I have a plan in mind. It’s a bit crude, but it’s perfect for confirming whether this truly belongs to the Sisterhood. However, I’ll need your support, host.”

“If I deem your plan appropriate, I’ll support it as much as needed.”

“I’ll meet with Sakurako-sama. We can come up with any pretext—say, reestablishing cooperative ties with the Border Checkpoint or seeking advice on interpreting scriptures. And then—”

“You’ll confront Sakurako-sama with the document and demand an explanation once she enters the reception room? To be honest… that’s a bold strategy. I can’t predict how Sakurako-sama will react. You also have to consider the possibility that they’ll catch on to your intentions beforehand.”

“Don’t worry about that. As you said, and as I think, this is a risky plan. The Sisterhood might even try to detain me. I’m essentially rolling a double-sided die.”

The Sisterhood doesn’t know this document has been exposed.

“They have no idea we’re peering into their dirty laundry from here.”

Perhaps the subject needs to change. That’s what I’m hoping for. In the best-case scenario, the Sisterhood shouldn’t even know this document exists. Maybe one or two internal rats noticed it’s missing and are trembling in fear.

“I’m about to take a gamble. If the Sisterhood is confirmed as the culprit, I’ll be detained in the cathedral, and Trinity’s city center will turn into a battlefield. If not, the Sisterhood will face a separate security disaster.”

“Aren’t your examples a bit extreme, Hikari-san? We must prevent conflict in the heart of Trinity General Academy at all costs. You, who suppressed Mika-san’s coup, should know this better than anyone, no?”

“No, I know full well. As I’ve said before, I’m a pacifist.”

“Then what was that just now? I may be rude myself, but I wish you’d soften your words.”

…Ugh, fine.

As expected of the Tea Party’s refined lady. And quite timid, too.

What can I do? Just a few weeks ago, she saw me as the ringleader of a rebellion. It’s pointless to dwell on it, but Nagisa-sama’s political prowess and paranoia seem to be separate matters.

“If you say so. To sum it up, it’ll end in one of two ways: I’ll either get a medal or handcuffs.”

“…”

Well, damn. I thought I softened it enough, but Nagisa-sama’s expression didn’t change.

What am I supposed to do?

***

For some reason, Hikari-san requested a meeting this morning.

After finishing my morning prayers, I headed to the reception room.

“Mother Superior.”

“Hikari-san.” My, it’s the exact same greeting as a few days ago.

Hikari-san gave a brief handshake and sat down. According to the meeting request, there’s a dispute within the Tea Party regarding chapel classes, and she’s here to seek my advice. It’s unusual for Hikari-san to visit for such a matter.

“I heard this is about chapel classes.”

“It’s something like that. Well, I did come to ask a question.”

Hmm, Hikari-san seems a bit upset today.

Did something happen before dawn? Should I pray for God to grant her a small blessing? Perhaps she faced harsh criticism from members of other factions during a dispute over chapel classes.

“Mother Superior, I have a question for you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Is the Sisterhood part of Trinity?”

—What does that mean?

“Of course, the Sisterhood is part of Trinity, Hikari-san. Since the founding council long ago, the Sisterhood has inherited the Order of Saint Justina. Considering its historical ties, absolutely.”

“Then, Mother Superior, can you say that with certainty?”

Hikari-san seemed a little angry.

“Can you say that the Sisterhood exists within Trinity and continues to do so in this era? Do you acknowledge the authority of the Tea Party? Please, tell me.”

“…I’m puzzled why Hikari-san is asking such a question. Has something happened?”

I don’t understand why Hikari-san is asking such an obvious thing as if it’s strange. Was there a debate within the Tea Party about the Sisterhood’s political neutrality?

Hikari-san looks urgent, almost desperate. She reminds me of Mari-san, late for chapel class.

“There are two reasons. First, by the Tea Party’s order, I had to investigate… a certain issue. Second, it’s connected to the Sisterhood. Don’t you have any guesses, Mother Superior?”

“Hikari-san, I can confidently say I’ve never interfered with the Tea Party’s political affairs. If this is by Nagisa-san’s order, tell her it’s a mistaken assumption.”

“Mother Superior, I’m sorry, but this isn’t because of Nagisa-sama’s mistaken assumptions. It’s because of this document.”

Hikari-san handed me a document.

“Urgent Matters Regarding the Political Trends of Trinity General Academy’s Student Council Tea Party”—I’ve never seen a document like this before.

The fact that such a document was classified as top secret is news to me. Why would a political document like this be marked as confidential? Most classified documents belong to the old Order of Saint Justina.

“What is this document about, Hikari-san?”

“I thought there was a fifty-fifty chance you’d know, but it seems you don’t. That’s a relief.”

“I don’t understand what you mean. Is this about the Tea Party?”

“That’s correct. Absolutely correct… Well, yes. I suppose I should tell you now.”

Hikari-san let out a big sigh and delivered earth-shattering news.

“…The Tea Party suspects the Sisterhood of treason.”