[Blue Archive] I am the Trinity Checkpoint Chief – Chapter 149

“Greetings. Oh, yes. My term is almost up, it seems. I got a head start.”

I held the phone with one hand, sipping my cocoa. We were finalizing the documents sent yesterday with Nagisa-sama, whose signature would make them effective. She’s the student council president, so it’s a natural step.

Trinity General Academy agreed to withdraw all stationed troops from the Arius Military Administration within a week of the agreement. It’s a gift for the General Student Council, whose ties we must never sever.

An administrative order to restore the National Edict will be issued today, intended for public release to garner support.

And now, Princess Atsuko… her residence is starting to raise issues. Records from that lofty era don’t indicate where the royal palace was in the Arius Branch. We’re forced to choose.

To solidify Arius’s identity, there’s no better place than the Basilica. It’s a claim supported by many, including the Senior Administrator, and it’s better for budget savings.

There’s also a suggestion to build a new palace from scratch, in a new way.

Building onto the student council room to display authority and honor isn’t uncommon in history. Nothing gathers praise like grand scale. But neither Trinity nor Arius has the budget.

I’m fine staying at the Basilica. It’s familiar from my childhood.

And the monarch supports it, doesn’t she?

This is for you all, not Trinity’s budget. Above all, the Senior Administrator and I didn’t want to waste time on this. Pounds of documents flooded in daily from within and without.

“Yes, I understand. Our members who’ve worked hard deserve to taste freedom now, don’t they?”

Was I just a figurehead as Military Governor? I was constantly deployed to handle incidents at the border checkpoint and across Trinity. Building a palace was less pressing than processing the edict announcement.

Beatrice didn’t even establish a political system for this small academy. The Military Administration and the Branch are separate entities, but Branch canon law still applies here.

Guess how she handled tricky issues? She didn’t repeal old monarchy clauses; she bypassed them!

The “Law to Overcome the Academy and Nation’s Crisis” is a symbolic law from the Madam’s era. Passed without legitimate process—essentially by herself—it let her enact policies at will.

When Operation British concluded and the Military Administration was established, I reviewed this law, considering revisions.

But there was too much to do.

I postponed it, thinking I’d revise it later. That was weeks ago. I only remembered I forgot a few days ago.

Above all, as the Military Administration handles Arius Branch governance, maintaining the law benefits future policy-making. With higher approval, the Military Governor can amend canon law and policies at will, effectively ruling the land as a fief.

Realistically, it’s tough. I’m not capable of scribbling laws to proclaim, nor do I think it’s beneficial. After the Princess’s ascension, this law must be repealed.

An academy needs some democratic elements, even indirectly. A small administrative committee—like Trinity.

“I’ll likely return to Trinity tomorrow or the day after, for the administrative order. Like Morishita-san, I don’t think I should stay here during such reforms.”

Nagisa-sama wished me well. Pfft, so kind. I smiled.

“Have a good night, as always.”

***

The Military Governor Hikari declared the restoration of the National Edict, awarding medals to contributors and praising their efforts.

Governor Hikari hopes to resolve social unrest through the monarchy…

The General Student Council is bustling again. At least the Finance and General Affairs Offices will be busy. With Oki Aoi’s flawless accounting, her statistics alone could prove it.

Why? Fortunately, it’s not a repeat of past issues.

The Eden Treaty Incident ended long ago. Through a series of operations, Arius Autonomous District’s offensive was crushed, and their stronghold fell to Trinity. Kirifuji Nagisa and Yamatsu Hikari had no intention of handing over the spoils.

Some in politics call the era when the General Student Council clashed with Trinity and Gehenna a “diplomatic crisis.” As everyone knows, the General Student Council lost, and Trinity and Gehenna took their shares and left.

Now it’s time to focus on the SRT issue. It won’t be long before those rebellious kids outwit Valkyrie Police Academy again.

Though Valkyrie is under the Defense Office, it’s not an external entity to the General Student Council. We’re considering solutions for them, likely adopting Director Ogata Kanna’s plan. If there’s no answer, we’ll call Sensei.

Arius… she’s taken another unexpected step. A monarchy, ridiculous.

Many think they can predict the future. Why not swallow Arius, subjugated through Operation British and the like? At least they’d strategize for economic gain.

Few media outlets care, but it’s not something to dismiss entirely. We’ve already made enough mistakes.

The General Student Council can’t control Trinity Autonomous District for a few reasons. Their scale exceeds Sanctum Tower’s authority, but Kirifuji Nagisa’s cabinet—especially post-Eden Treaty moves—was key.

They don’t plan to follow public perception. It’s like rolling dice in a wasteland to decide their path. Strategies to counter Trinity in the past month or two barely worked.

And now, it’s not time to ask why.

Politics is a world of contradictions. Laughing with yesterday’s enemy to sign a treaty, importing weapons from a rival academy’s defense industry is rationally praised.

Sadly, Trinity embodies that contradiction. Dividing Gehenna and Arius, eternal foes, while antagonizing a leaderless General Student Council, yet withdrawing troops from Arius for our sake.

It’s possible. That’s politics. A place open to those devoted to no one.

The General Student Council has endured enough shock. The girl who saved a seemingly doomed Trinity in the Eden Treaty Incident, meticulously revealing her hidden strength as the Pandemonium Society’s chair.

It’s too late to look back. What matters is where Kirifuji Nagisa is looking. Only then can we overcome past diplomatic failures and respond.

Oki Aoi spread out a map. The Trinity salient and countless geopolitical factors came into view.

“…”

Where the hell is it?

The girl thought she’d need long deliberation.

***

“Greetings! Isn’t this our first time meeting in person?”

“Indeed. Come this way. It’s a long walk, so you must be tired, but time’s tight, isn’t it? Sorry, but it’s best to discuss while touring.”

The president of the French defense company was unusually excited. Escaping tedious shareholder meetings to meet an outsider is one thing, but my visit, as a valued client, must play a part.

Entering the desert from the Arius Branch via the Ordnance Bureau takes a long time. It’s a really far distance.

Still, it had to be done. Not just needed—essential. To execute the plan, gathering information from the Black Market was priority. Since Trinity has no ties with them, our information is limited.

I don’t know how helpful importing howitzers from the defense company was. It achieved great feats, but it also gave us diplomatic legitimacy beyond the military.

As Border Checkpoint Commander, I’m here to inspect additional Caesar howitzers.

…Of course, that’s the pretext.

No, it’s hard to call it just a pretext. I really plan to acquire more Caesars, upgrading them to bolster checkpoint firepower. The kids will love it.

The real reason, the president doesn’t know. I’m sorry.

“…Thus, it offers improved convenience and performance in shell loading. I guarantee, five seconds.”

“Impressive speed. I recall it could hit two targets at 30 miles simultaneously. With the right terrain, maybe three. You’ve achieved a first among motorized howitzers.”

At my sincere flattery, the president laughed heartily. I smiled too, happy to buy quality goods.

“Haha, ha… Thank you. You don’t know how vital someone like you is to our company.”

“A benefactor! I’m grateful you say that. …So, this benefactor has a small request.”

At the sudden shift to business, the president was startled but soon showed a seasoned entrepreneur’s composure. He led me to a reception room, dismissed all staff, creating a secretive space for just us.

“…It’s not about a contract, so I took precautions. I may not know much, but I’m good at reading the room.”

“You wouldn’t have wasted your career. Here’s a gift.”

I handed over a document. The president glanced at it, eyes widening.

“…This is?”

“The companies and groups listed there, and their information.”

“…!”

“Hand it all over. There’ll be solid compensation.”