[Blue Archive] I am the Trinity Checkpoint Chief – Chapter 92

The administrators bustling through the Tea Party Hall’s corridors froze in shock at my bloodied appearance.

My angular field cap was nearly in tatters, and my uniform was riddled with bullet holes.

My white-brown coat, soaked in dark red blood, was practically a mess… Ugh, maybe I should’ve changed before coming to the Tea Party Hall. Among the students who stopped to stare, Administrator Haruki caught my eye. As someone who’d known me for a while, she didn’t flinch at my blood-drenched state.

With a light wave, she quickly recognized my signal and approached.

“What in the world happened to make you look half-dead, Senior?”

“It’s been a damn rough day.”

“Such crude language might get you scolded by Nagisa-sama. Are you heading to a private meeting in the Tea Party chamber?”

“I wonder if she’d say that seeing my face like this.”

I’m in a pretty foul mood. Having just survived an ambush by Gehenna students, my emotions are burning before I can even verify the facts. As a student sympathetic to the Filius faction’s Eden stance, I feel betrayed.

The administrator glanced at my furious expression, nodded with a murmur of understanding, and said, “Fair enough.”

“But what’s this about? A bear like you, who loves holing up in the mountains, coming here with such venom—and covered in blood, no less. Anyone would think you’re plotting a coup.”

“Sorry, but that’s not for me to explain. Is the Communication Chief around?”

“At this hour, Arisa’s probably working. You know you need her permission to contact other departments, right? Given the situation, she won’t approve unless it’s critical.”

Fair point. Miyamizu Arisa is a kind junior, but she’s strict about work matters. She’s always fussing about not sending trivial matters to the Tea Party Hall, and with martial law in effect, she’s likely even stricter.

But I’ve got nothing to hide. I’m not storming the Communication Office, and I’ve got a rare justification: combat outside the front lines. Whether it’s the Prefect Team or Pandemonium Society, they need to take this call.

“Administrator, who am I?”

“The big shot at the Border Checkpoint.”

“Wrong, sadly. Who is Yamatsu Hikari right now?”

“Now that I think about it, you’re the Acting Commander, aren’t you? What’s the world coming to, with someone like you in Nagisa-sama’s seat? Even a day later, it doesn’t feel real.”

Haha, Administrator Haruki. That’s what people call an insult.

No matter how pathetic someone seems, you can’t just blurt out the truth like that. Don’t you want to experience Millennium Science School’s advanced legal spell of “defamation by stating facts”?

But… even I can’t quite believe it. I’m just a student trying to rebuild our academy, and the Tea Party Hall simply handed me the power to do so.

“Is the Communication Chief really there? Not that it matters if she’s not. I’m going. Watch yourself mediating with the administrators—don’t get blood on you.”

“You watch yourself, Senior, so you don’t get impeached.”

The administrator replied casually and went on her way.

The life of a minority faction member, burdened with work in the meeting room, must be tough. Even as a sub-leader, Haruki could do little against Pater’s demands for cooperation. I should treat her to a meal when this is over.

I had my own tasks. Ignoring the startled glances from students I passed, I crossed the hallway toward the Communication Office. The noise grew louder with each step, suggesting they were in the thick of work.

—Click.

Opening the door revealed a chaotic Communication Office.

“Oh, it’s Captain Hikari… Eek!”

An administrator who recognized me nearly toppled a stack of papers in shock. The presence of a blood-soaked student was something else.

“Sorry to interrupt while you’re busy. Is the Chief here? I need to use the radio for an official matter.”

“The Chief is working right now. If it’s an official line, I can assist. Tell me where you’re sending it, and I’ll connect you to the right department. If it’s a restricted area, I’ll need to get the Chief.”

“No need to worry. I’m not the type to blatantly break the law at the Tea Party Hall. I just need to contact Pandemonium Society or the Prefect Team at Gehenna Academy.”

“Then there’s no issue. For the record, could you state your purpose?”

Hmm. Is it okay to say exactly what’s on my mind?

“I’m not great at summarizing, so could you take notes and organize the conversation?”

“No pressure. Just give me the gist.”

Fine, if you put it like that, I have to say it. I’m not good at softening my words.

“…I’m gonna cuss someone out.”

Linguistically speaking, of course.

***

After a few minutes of debate, I finally got through to the Senior Administrator.

It was a deeply unpleasant experience. Pandemonium Society’s assembly was too busy handling their chaos to respond properly, and the Prefect Team student’s grumpy reception tested my patience. Those damn kids seemed to have forgotten my position.

The call provided significant information. Makoto and the other Pandemonium Society officers were still unaccounted for.

As far as I know, Gehenna has an acting commander system, but all the chief-level officers who’d take the role are missing. With the Prefect Team Leader also gone… Gehenna, already resembling a warlord era, must be in utter disarray.

That’s no excuse for not addressing the nighttime ambush.

I pressed the receiver to my ear.

I waited for the Senior Administrator’s sharp voice.

—Beep!

[—What’s this about, calling the main office at this hour? We’re busy handling field operations, so call back tomorrow morning—]

[Main office or not, I don’t care.]

The Senior Administrator clearly hadn’t expected my call at this hour. A flustered groan came through the receiver.

[I never imagined. I heard you became Trinity’s Acting Commander. A full mobilization order across the academy? In Gehenna, they’d riot over club sovereignty violations. Are you sure about this?]

“I get you have a lot to say, but that’s not why I called. I’ve been through hell this evening. You’d know about it, unless I need to call Pandemonium Society again.”

[Then… what’s this about? If it’s about the Chief, we still don’t know where she is.]

Nagato-senpai said there were no clear signs of restoring order in the Prefect Team. The Senior Administrator’s words were likely true.

The students who lost their leader are still floundering between Trinity and Gehenna.

[Unfortunately, no. You really don’t know?]

[Give me a hint, at least.]

Unbelievable. Do I have to play twenty questions about something you did?

[Let’s make this simple. Was it you?]

[…What?]

Ugh, why play dumb?

[Listen, Administrator, I just came from the Checkpoint Headquarters where I was ambushed by a squad-sized force. They knew exactly that it was just me and one other member. I managed to subdue them and made it to the Tea Party Hall.]

[So? Everyone who read the extra edition knows you’re the Acting Commander. Attacking a rival academy’s leadership is standard, isn’t it? What are you getting at?]

[The point is, they were wearing Gehenna Academy’s standard uniforms. Both me and my member confirmed it, so don’t dodge.]

[If you’re suggesting the Prefect Team planned an ambush, I’d like to shut that down right now.]

[If you can, go ahead. That’s what I’d prefer. Who the hell were those kids? I don’t want to believe Gehenna launched a preemptive strike on Trinity. It can’t be.]

I’ve never once had confirmation.

It shouldn’t be true.

Look at the front lines near the Ancient Cathedral. The Justice Task Force and Border Checkpoint handle 70% of the combat, but the remaining 30% is barely held by a mixed group of Gehenna clubs.

It’s practically a free-for-all. The battle lines shift every few hours.

Gehenna is essential for maintaining the status quo. Trinity, hitting the limits of rapid mobilization, can’t yet seize the initiative. Even with artillery and armor, offense is tough.

In this context, saying some of them ambushed me is tantamount to washing their hands of the situation.

Worse yet… it’s practically a declaration of war.

If Pandemonium Society, realizing their ambush failed, declares war, the the Ancient Cathedral battle line will become a three-way conflict. Forces from both Trinity and Gehenna will flood the border, collapsing the already precarious balance.

There’s also the possibility Gehenna summoned the relentless demonic horde pouring from underground. But since they attack both academies indiscriminately, it’s not highly likely.

[Trinity General School demands an official explanation for today’s events. Prove it wasn’t Gehenna’s hostile action.]

[What, you expect me to prove it just like that? At least the Prefect Team had nothing to do with it. We don’t even train special forces.]

[Then we’re back to square one. Those kids tried to kill me. We’ll investigate further, but you can’t pretend you don’t know what Gehenna uniforms mean. Was it Pandemonium Society or the Prefect Team?]

[I’m telling you, it wasn’t us! We’re swamped covering for the Chief, so can you just trust me?]

Isn’t it absurd to expect a Trinity student to trust Gehenna?

[Alright, let’s keep this civil. Make a guess, then. Who’d wear Gehenna uniforms to infiltrate the Checkpoint Headquarters? Pater, with half their faction gone? Arius, with their intelligence network shattered and no resources? I don’t think so.]

[Fair point… Fine, I’ll contact Pandemonium Society to verify. I’m helping even though it’s not my fault, so don’t complain if we don’t find anything.]

[I’m not that heartless.]

[Really?]

[…Did you have to add that?]

Suspicious administrator, honestly.

[Use a personal line when you call. It’s hard to reach me through the Tea Party Hall.]

[Got it. But why use the Communication Office now? That’s not like you.]

[Got to keep up appearances, don’t I?]

[…Are you Makoto or something?]

Ugh, Administrator. You can’t just say stuff like that.

It’s like bringing up someone’s parents so casually.

***

At the Tea Party Hall, time seemed to crawl, the scene unchanged from when I arrived.

Students bustling about, faction members locked in heated debates.

“—Overturning a rejected proposal as approved? That’s outrageous! It’s a Pater faction conspiracy!”

“What are you talking about? Since when were you a major faction? You can’t question a fair election.”

Don’t they ever tire at this hour?

No matter. My talk with the Senior Administrator ended on a decent note.

She vehemently insisted on her innocence. It seems the Prefect Team—at least at her level—didn’t plan anything. Unless she’s been deceiving me all along, there’s little strategic gain now.

That leaves Pandemonium Society. Honestly, anyone will do. Arius Branch School remnants, anti-Trinity faction members slipping through the Justice Task Force’s net—doesn’t matter. As long as we agree to retaliate, I’m fine.

I headed to the meeting room where debates raged. Shrill voices spilled out from behind the door.

—Creak!

Pushing open the massive meeting room door, I saw the key officers. I felt their attention snap to me.

The Pater faction’s sub-leader spoke first.

“…Acting Commander? I didn’t hear you were visiting the Tea Party Hall.”

“Do I need to announce when I’m coming to my own workplace?”

“No, but… what happened to your uniform?”

“That’s what I’m here to talk about.”

Your debates about the academy’s future are fine, but my issue’s a bit more serious.

Crossing the long table, I stood at one end. A dozen students stared at the blood-soaked chief. I must look like a clown, but I shook off the thought and got to the point.

“Esteemed administrators of the Tea Party. Some of you call me young, ambitious, rash, even reckless. Yet, I stand here as the Acting Commander of the Tea Party.”

Reactions varied by faction. Some nodded, others eyed me warily.

“Today, I had a… highly unusual experience. While working at the Border Checkpoint’s administrative office, I was ambushed by a squad-sized force. Just a few hours ago.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, Sub-Leader. If you don’t believe my uniform, stained with the blood of several students, I can call Kawazaki Ritsuko-san as a witness. If that’s not enough, we could take samples for DNA testing…”

“No, no need. Your appearance is convincing enough. I’m sure everyone agrees.”

“…Is that so?”

But did you have to cut me off, Sub-Leader?

“Anyway. The implications of an attack targeting Trinity General School’s Acting Commander are clear. They’re deeply tied to those fighting on the Ancient Cathedral front lines, and I saw Gehenna Academy uniforms.”

The mention of Gehenna Academy split the room’s reactions again. The Pater faction member was visibly thrilled.

“I just spoke with Amau Ako, Senior Administrator of the Prefect Team. She claimed her innocence, and I… accepted it, in my own way. She didn’t seem to be lying.”

On second thought, keeping the Prefect Team as suspects offers no advantage. Their superior strategic and tactical skills are essential for a planned offensive.

Pandemonium Society is another story, but I’ll continue cooperating with the Prefect Team.

“But, Hikari-sama.” An administrator from the Sanctus faction raised her hand. “Trinity General School’s political independence must be ensured. Regardless of the Senior Administrator’s response, the Tea Party must make its own decision.”

“Exactly. I’ve experienced this incident and reported it to you. The Tea Party must decide.”

Most officers agreed. At some officers’ urging, I used my Acting Commander authority to call a vote. The result was dramatic. At the very least, Pater wouldn’t be pleased.

“Whether the Tea Party should respond to Gehenna Academy’s surprise attack on the Border Checkpoint Administrative Office”

For: 7 votes

Against: 12 votes

“…Unbelievable.”

“It was a fair vote, Setsune-san.”

Aha—that exchange was between those two students, wasn’t it? The officer openly mocked the sub-leader.

Ironically, Pater’s second-in-command was among the most bound to the Tea Party Hall’s order, and thus… couldn’t protest the vote’s outcome.

Populism always crumbles. A student who gained support through agitation inevitably falls to constitutional measures.

I thought she’d given up entirely. Normally, Pater would react aggressively to push their agenda, using it to assert their presence in the secretive Tea Party, as public perception expected.

Her silence could mean the opposition was quelled—or a prelude to a storm.

“Sorry.”

“…We’ll see.”

Her gritted lips didn’t particularly interest me.