[Blue Archive] I am the Trinity Checkpoint Chief – Chapter 88

Lunchtime.

The fire station’s control room was just starting to settle into a brief moment of calm. The girl pulled out a lunchbox she had packed from home.

Today was a “no-leftovers” day, so the side dishes were bound to be extra delicious. Still, someone had to stay on duty, right?

It was just her luck that it had to be today.

But she wasn’t your average student who’d let that get her down. Knowing this might happen, she’d packed her lunchbox with something special today.

Sausages and a fried egg—none of that usual plain rice with a single pickled radish!

“Hmm… Everyone’s gone except Yotsuha, huh? The control room’s completely empty. Oh, your lunch looks kinda tasty today!”

“You can’t survive a shift on just a pickled radish.”

The chief, who had just entered the control room, took an interest in her lunchbox. The chief often made do with a single energy bar for lunch. As the head of the fire brigade, she claimed it was to stay ready for rapid deployment in case of an emergency… but no amount of willpower could quiet a growling stomach for long.

The girl picked out a perfectly cooked sausage, placed it on a bed of rice, and handed it to the chief. Forgetting all talk of duty, the chief dug in with relish.

—Rrrring!

Of course. A fire breaking out during lunch? Talk about bad luck.

The girl walked over to the corner of the control room and picked up the loudly ringing phone.

[Westminster Fire Station. What’s the situation?]

[This is—uh—the cathedral! It’s complete chaos here! There was a massive explosion!]

[Excuse me, could you specify which cathedral is experiencing the fire?]

[the Ancient Cathedral! The Cathedral of Communions is collapsing—argh, the spire’s falling! Everyone, get over here! Hurry—]

…What in the world was that about?

“Uh, Chief? We’ve got a call, and, well…”

“Hm? Gotta call the team, then. Where is it?”

“…They said it’s the Ancient Cathedral.” The chief flinched, then began to panic visibly.

And for good reason—a fire breaking out at the Cathedral of Communions was no small matter. It was a critical situation.

But the chief’s steps toward the cafeteria didn’t last long.

Rrrring!

Rrrring!

Beep-beep-beep-beep!

Phones throughout the control room began ringing incessantly. The clamor echoed relentlessly, as if determined to alert the entire fire station with its shrill emergency tones.

“…”

“…”

For about five seconds, the chief and the girl froze. Then, in what was probably the fastest sprint of their lives, they bolted out of the control room.

***

“Hey, hey, Mitsuki! I know you’re filming, but step back and stay safe!”

“I can handle myself just fine! You focus on controlling the situation!”

Damn it, she’s right.

Leaving Mitsuki behind as she recklessly approached the Ancient Cathedral, the girl flipped on her radio while running.

With Sayuri-san and other senior administrators missing, they had to act fast.

[Yuzuki, Yuzuki! Where are you right now?]

[I’m on my way with the team. What’s the situation? Sayuri-san’s not answering her phone.]

[The Ancient Cathedral’s practically collapsing. It’s like a missile hit it. I’m not sure if the Tea Party Hall is okay. How long until you get here?]

[Three minutes. Hold tight.]

The crackle of the radio was quickly drowned out by the surrounding noise.

The spire of the Ancient Cathedral collapsed with a deafening roar. Thousands of students and attendees who had come to observe the signing ceremony were fleeing the fire. Too little time had passed since the incident for the Relief Knights or the fire brigade to arrive.

The girl flung open the door of a small building with a clear view of the Ancient Cathedral. An administrator working on a communicator inside jumped in surprise.

This was a temporary communication hub set up to relay news related to Eden. Compared to the communication network at the Santos faction’s Safehouse 51, it was rudimentary and less secure.

But what choice did they have? In a crisis like this, trekking back to that hub wasn’t an option.

“W-Whoa… Captain Hikari?”

“Report the situation to the Tea Party Hall. Has Nagisa-sama’swhereabouts been confirmed?”

“We’ve been trying to reach them, but no one’s answering. We’ve already reported to the fire station.”

“The Tea Party Hall must be in chaos too. Keep trying.”

This wasn’t some covert rebellion in the dead of night or a constitutional crisis sparked by an extremist faction. This was the treaty signing ceremony between Trinity General School and Gehenna Academy, with countless media outlets and students watching closely. The situation must have already been assessed.

What was the Tea Party doing? Why hadn’t they contacted the chiefs, including her, or sent out an emergency alert?

The device continued to emit static, failing to meet her expectations.

“…What the hell are those guys doing?”

“Even so, the communication chief should be on standby… Ugh, something’s off…”

Had all the administrators gone out for lunch or something? There was no way to know what was happening.

She needed to understand the context. Having witnessed a missile strike with her own eyes, it was clearly a deliberate act of terrorism—but who did it, why, and how? They needed to peel back the layers of confusion to uncover the truth.

Authority needed to be delegated to the highest-ranking official, who would issue orders, coordinate forces, and assign coordinates to the remaining artillery units. They had to assess the scene and debate whether to declare martial law or issue a mobilization order.

That was the Tea Party’s responsibility—so why were they making her wait like this?

—Beep!

The radio lit up red and blared.

An emergency broadcast.

Adjusting the frequency, a harsh, crackling voice came through.

[Kivotos Emergency Broadcast: The Trinity General School Fire Brigade has issued a full mobilization order and evacuation directive effective immediately. The affected areas are as follows: Westminster, Northern Downing—]

It seemed the fire brigade’s administration was still operational. Within minutes, a convoy of fire trucks painted in twilight hues would arrive, so the fire spreading through the Ancient Cathedral and its surroundings could be handled. Hopefully, some Relief Knights had heard the news. There were bound to be many students needing medical attention.

Looking out the communication hub’s window at the crumbling the Ancient Cathedral, the distant sound of gunfire and ambulance sirens filled the air. A few students were managing to escape on their own.

Damn it, she couldn’t just stand here waiting.

“If you get through to the Tea Party Hall, let me know. Frequency’s locked at 110.80, so remember it.”

“R-Right!”

Stepping out of the building, she approached the cathedral, now reduced to rubble. Students were escaping through the collapsed spire, but no administrators or club leaders were in sight. Intense gunfire echoed from beyond the cathedral.

A student stumbled over the debris and collapsed. The girl rushed over, lending a shoulder to the struggling student. Blood streamed from their head, likely from being struck by debris during the missile strike.

“You okay?”

“Y-Yes…”

The student wore the black uniform of the Justice Task Force, with a first-year badge indicating they’d been stationed at the cathedral’s perimeter.

Most high-ranking officials would have been inside the prayer hall for the signing ceremony. Not seeing any familiar faces only heightened her unease. The flames rising from the Ancient Cathedral threatened to engulf everything—where had everyone gone?

“You’re with the Justice Task Force, right? Have you seen your chief or any other members?”

“They were all deeper inside than me, but I was so frantic escaping after waking up, I don’t know… No one’s answering on the radio either…”

“…Got it. I’ll help you to the main gate. The fire brigade should be here soon.”

What the hell was going on?

They couldn’t all be dead, could they?

—Beep!

[Kivotos Emergency Broadcast: The Trinity General School Student Council Tea Party has issued an emergency martial law declaration effective immediately. The affected areas are as follows: Westminster.]

“Martial law? Does that mean something really bad is happening?”

“Looks like it. Let’s keep moving. Whatever’s going on, we need to get out.”

The gunfire in the distance was growing fiercer. The sound of a shotgun blast suggested… maybe Chief Tsurugi? After getting this student to the Relief Knights, she’d join her team, who should be arriving soon, to provide support.

Luckily, the fire brigade arrived before they reached the main gate. Dozens of TLF 4000-class pump trucks, rescue vehicles, and St. John ambulances filled the plaza. The firefighters disembarking from the vehicles were stunned by the scale of the disaster.

The command vehicle stopped right in front of the student she was supporting. A girl in a fireproof helmet recognized her.

“Captain Hikari! Is this a casualty?”

“Someone from inside the Ancient Cathedral. They managed to escape, but there are still many people inside.”

“Understood. Good heavens… This is a massive fire. How many were inside?”

“Hundreds, at least.”

The fire brigade commander’s face went pale.

The other students showed similar reactions. Even a few dozen missing people would be considered a major incident, but this was several times worse—a cascade of misfortune for everyone involved.

The Ancient Cathedral had several structural supports piercing its stone walls, making it easy for the fire to spread throughout. This was beyond a simple act of terrorism. If everyone inside couldn’t escape…

Damn it, she knew exactly what this meant. She couldn’t let the world call this day a tragedy.

“For now, get this student to the Relief Knights. I’ll ensure situation control doesn’t interfere with firefighting efforts, so do your best. Focus on rescuing students, even if the cathedral collapses completely.”

“…Understood. Alright, everyone, grab your gear! Let’s start by breaching that heavy door!”

The students opened the sides of the fire trucks and began grabbing firefighting equipment. It looked like nearly all the vehicles used by Trinity’s urban fire stations—DLK 23-class, GK-L2-class, and more—had gathered.

With a fire brigade of this scale, the fire should be contained quickly. Now it was time to address what was happening on the other side. Were Trinity and Gehenna students engaged in a firefight, or was it something else? She thought she saw some white shapes moving.

Loading a magazine into her hastily grabbed L85, she was about to circle the cathedral when a familiar student appeared beyond the towering spire.

“Chief! Chief! I thought you were gone when you didn’t answer!”

“I made it just in time, didn’t I? Did you bring everyone, Yuzuki? …Wait, who are these new faces?”

“Our team, plus some friends from the Arius Branch School. Oh, and we rounded up some delinquents causing trouble on the way.”

“Even if we did something wrong, why do we have to come all the way here?! To fight that massive fire?!”

“Ladies, quiet down. If the Justice Task Force had caught you, you’d be in a hospital by now.”

About thirty students were grumbling loudly. They looked like they’d taken a beating after running into a border checkpoint the size of a battalion. One particularly vocal student complained about being hit with “Trinity’s flashbangs” while eating snacks.

Thankfully, they seemed to know their place and quieted down after a few words. Their guns mostly used 5mm rounds, compatible with the checkpoint’s ammo, which was a relief since it’d help keep them from running off.

“What’s going on at the cathedral’s rear gate? I just got a report that the Emergency Medicine Club’s ambulances were speeding down the road.”

“No idea, which is why we’re heading there. Whoever’s fighting, we suppress them and clean up the situation. If there are people to rescue, we rescue them.”

“…Sayuri-san’s not answering her radio.”

“Neither is Nagisa-sama. I don’t even know who the highest-ranking official is.”

“Highest-ranking? If the host is missing, usually the Sisterhood or Relief Knights step in.”

“No one’s answering anywhere. It’s driving me crazy.”

The reason no one inside the Ancient Cathedral was responding was simple: they were either incapacitated or their phones were destroyed. With a missile crashing down like a whirlwind, few students would be walking around unscathed. They’d have to find them.

If all the faction leaders with full authority were missing… the situation would be dire. The Tea Party had declared martial law, but those kids better not be slacking. They were probably fighting like hell.

“We need to check if we can contact the Tea Party Hall. On my way here, the streets were tense. I even saw administrators fighting each other.”

“Probably from different factions. The Tea Party won’t like this. It’ll only clear up once we know who attacked.”

But who was she to complain? Yamatsu Hikari, a brazen girl, didn’t resent her friends. If her kids were too busy looking out for themselves, what could she do?

The Tea Party Hall was the political heart of Trinity General School, and its standards were never low. No matter how chaotic things got, there wasn’t a single incompetent administrator. With quality tea and freshly baked pastries, even a cat could pull its weight.

—Beep!

“Chief, your radio’s going off.”

The news she’d been waiting for. Switching the radio to frequency 110.80, a girl’s voice came through.

[Uh, hello… Can you hear me…?]

[Loud and clear, Administrator. Have you reached the Tea Party Hall?]

[Y-Yes… But, um… there’s some important news…]

[What is it? Things are urgent here, so please be quick.]

[It seems the Tea Party Hall tried contacting all the chiefs, but no one’s answering… So, um… they’re saying you’re the highest-ranking official…]

[…]

What.

What did she just say?

[They just delegated full authority to you, Captain. With Nagisa-sama missing, the Tea Party’s in chaos. The Pater faction objected, but you’re the only chief-level person they could reach…]

[…So, I’m the acting commander?]

[…Yes.]

Well, damn.

Holy hell.

This was not something I’d anticipated.

[Administrator, write down exactly what I’m about to say and send it to the Tea Party Hall.]

[O-Okay. Should I encrypt it or something?]

[No, send it in plaintext.]

This was an urgent matter.

[This is an emergency order.]

***

“We need to declare war on Gehenna!”

“How can you suggest that when we don’t even have a host? We need to hear from the acting commander!”

“That person will obviously oppose it! We need to take the initiative at the Tea Party Hall!”

The Tea Party Hall was abuzz with students locked in heated debate.

With key figures and administrators from various factions missing, the remaining students were at a loss. The Pater faction had rallied friendly students to push for a declaration of war against Gehenna, but they faced unexpectedly strong resistance.

It was a blatant power grab. The administrators were fed up with the Pater faction’s unilateral actions.

Time dragged on, and no new information came in.

The communication chief was on the verge of collapse from exhaustion.

—BANG!

“What the?!”

“What’s going on? Don’t you know to knock before entering the meeting room?”

“S-Sorry… The acting commander sent a document.”

“If it’s relevant to us, hand it over.”

The Pater faction’s sub-leader confidently took the document.

It didn’t take long for the bold girl to tilt her head in confusion, catching the communication chief’s attention.

“…What’s the matter?”

“Well, um… Arisa, how do we even process this?”

“What is it? Just tell me.” 

The flustered girl quickly spoke up.

“A… A full mobilization order? Does that even make sense?”

“…What?” The communication chief’s confusion echoed the sentiments of many administrators.

The shock that filled the meeting room was enough to silence the pointless arguments.