[Blue Archive] I am the Trinity Checkpoint Chief – Chapter 131

Shiga Mitsuki is currently afflicted with a massive confusion debuff. The reason? An unexpected guest at the restaurant.

“…I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Gehenna Academy’s Prefect Team Chairwoman, Sorasaki Hina. Her white hair contrasts sharply with her uniform, and… well, that skirt isn’t exactly long. Mitsuki often muses about the Prefect Team’s “contradictory” dress code.

But why is she here? D.U. has nothing to do with Gehenna’s Prefect Team. And shouldn’t she be working at this hour?

“Shiga Mitsuki, right?”

“Huh? Uh, yeah. If you’re looking for that name, you’ve got the right person.”

Her tone was like she was stating her rank and serial number. Still, for a Prefect Team member, she’s pretty polite. Regular members or Valkyrie Public Security would treat me like I’m some crazed delinquent. Getting handcuffed on suspicion at first sight? This is way better.

Hina naturally slid into the seat next to me. She glanced at the udon I was slurping, then ordered the same.

“…Planning to stay a while?”

“There’s a lot to talk about. About what you know, and… well, what she knows.”

Hina didn’t specify, but I caught the hint about “her.” The Prefect Team must have its own intelligence network, and it surely extends to Trinity, their hypothetical enemy academy. She’s definitely heard something.

What did the Prefect Team pick up? If we cite the “Trinity General Academy proxy’s Activity Log,” it’d be something like: “She’s scheming with the Pandemonium Society, but she’s got her own plans too.” Yeah, suspicious enough.

Is that junior up to something dangerous?

Chronos School doesn’t care much, but for us, getting chewed out is just part of the job—no big deal. They’d probably be thrilled to write an article about unjust power plays. That’s how obsessed they are with scoops.

After a short wait, Hina’s udon arrived. This place isn’t some Gourmet Research Society-certified hotspot, but it serves above-average udon, cheap and fast, so I come here often.

“You probably already know, but a few days ago, Hikari visited Gehenna. She held a meeting with Makoto.”

“Oh? You’re on a first-name basis? That’s surprising.”

Zing—is she annoyed I linked a Gehenna student with a Trinity one? Leave it to the Prefect Team Chairwoman to openly show Gehenna’s typical disdain for Chronos School.

“Sorry, sorry. Professional instinct, you know. I don’t know much about the Prefect Team’s affairs, but I knew about the bilateral talks before the Tea Party announced them. Around 4 a.m., I think? Hikari mentioned it during our call. It was… well, odd.”

“Strange.”

Gehenna’s Prefect Team doesn’t toss around “strange” lightly. Antagonizing Trinity General Academy, refusing D.U.’s uncompensated riot suppression orders, staging armed protests in front of the Pandemonium Society’s hypocritical assembly—these are just business as usual.

If something defies common sense, it’s one of two things. First, it’s just a random event—like the Gourmet Research Society or the Hot Springs Development Club stirring up trouble. Second, someone’s deemed it a threat.

If Hikari’s under scrutiny, this isn’t just a casual question…

“Let me be clear: Chronos School is touchy about leaking personal info. It’ll be tough to hand over what you want.”

“That’s fine. I’m not after Hikari’s info. I want to know what’s going on with Trinity—with the Tea Party. Since the incident, our intelligence unit’s been struggling to get updates. There’s a bit of… suspicion.”

If she’s referring to a Prefect Team “incident,” it’s probably a euphemism for a “purge.”

I’m not well-versed in that area as a reporter, but I’ve heard student councils occasionally launch large-scale counterespionage operations to take down targets in one fell swoop. Red Winter, Trinity, Gehenna… even Millennium or the General Student Council, supposedly.

The side running the operation must be thrilled with the results. But the targets? They’re thrown into chaos.

Coups are common at Red Winter Federal Academy, but bureau-led counterespionage ops are rare and yield sweeping results. I wouldn’t take Secretary Tomoe’s word at face value, though.

The Tea Party recently announced results from two counterespionage operations: one against Gehenna Academy, and one against Arius Branch School—though back then, people brushed it off as trivial.

The Prefect Team became victims of a “purge” overnight. Or are they the perpetrators now? Pfft.

“You know the Pater faction, right? After the Tea Party’s cabinet reshuffle, Mineyuki Setsune retired. Or rather, was forced to retire. Her spot was taken by an administrator named Morishita Sayuri, a student they brought back after she left.”

Sayuri? Morishita Sayuri… I’m just a checkpoint liaison, and I don’t—er, didn’t—have access to the Tea Party’s faction meeting rooms, so I’m out of the loop on recent politics. Hmm, this is tricky.

“I dug up everything on her. She resigned while being considered for Pater faction leadership.”

Resigned, huh. If she was a Pater hardliner, it’s usually a massive scandal or self-inflicted controversy that forces a resignation. Better than Filius making you quit for not obeying Nagisa or Sanctus kicking you out for not memorizing scripture, I guess.

“Given she was with the Border Checkpoint… you must’ve caught on by now, right? She’s connected to Hikari.”

A link to Hikari. What’s she trying to find?

“So it’s not personal info, just faction politics. But it’s been weeks already. I can’t just sneak out Pater’s internal documents. Why not ask Hikari directly?”

“…That, well, I thought it’d be rude to her…”

So asking me to break the law isn’t rude?! Haha, even Gehenna’s Prefect Team doesn’t see me as human. What’s the point of living? Might as well write a malicious article and go down in flames!

“I’m really sorry for asking like this. But the Pandemonium Society barely shares intel, and even our Planning Division is split on who Trinity’s real power is. It feels like we’re in the dark.”

What, all that beating around the bush just to ask that? If you wanted to know if Hikari’s the real power, just say so.

“I can give you a straight answer, but you probably won’t like it. Hikari’s not some powerless figurehead or a nobody. She knows a lot.”

“Trinity’s still our hypothetical enemy. Sorry, but that’s not enough. I’ll make it worth your while.”

It’s not an uninteresting request. Maybe it’ll wrap up simpler than she thinks. Or perhaps it’ll uncover some secret that unlocks a new chapter in Kivotos’ politics.

I took a big slurp of udon broth and grabbed Sorasaki Hina’s hand.

“I won’t disappoint you.”

***

Morishita Sayuri suddenly felt an itch in her ear and scratched it with her index finger.

“Someone’s talking about me, huh?”

Right beside her, Hikari-senpai, finishing up paperwork, teased lightly. It’s uncanny how the student with the most rumors in the Tea Party can crack jokes without a change in expression.

The negotiations with the Pandemonium Society went smoothly, they say. Makoto, that blasted girl, showed an unexpected side.

A rare moment of peace. Trinity General Academy won’t let the General Student Council’s double standards from a few days ago slide. Despite some public backlash over the Gehenna deal, there’s no sign of a full revolt, which proves it.

Issues remain—the final resolution for the Arius Military Administration, stirrings within the Pater faction—but it’s far better than during the Eden Treaty crisis. Truly peaceful, you could say.

“Senpai, if you’re almost done… you know, right? I’m meeting Ritsuko for dinner tonight.”

“Don’t worry, I remember. It’ll take a bit, but let’s head to D.U. There’s a railway street near the Council’s bureau. There’s a food stall in the corner—oden or something, supposed to be pretty good. I’ve been meaning to try it.”

As if you’ll drink anything but oolong tea. Sometimes, you need to act bold like a first-year.

“…You’re not drinking, right?”

“Hey, don’t say that! In a place like Abydos with no student council, maybe, but D.U.’s crackdowns are strict. Getting caught’s easy. And would a Pater faction leader get away with being caught drinking?”

“I quit that role two days ago! Ugh, you know how much I suffered.”

Average paperwork load: 20 pounds. Work hours: 12 a day. I had to pull legendary double shifts like some law-ignoring small business. Passing out from paperwork for days—I thought I’d die of overwork!

“I know, I know. Sayuri-chan, Ritsuko-chan—you both worked hard. I’d pin a medal on you if I could.”

“Ritsuko got one from Yuzuki personally. I didn’t know since I was at the Tea Party, but during the ‘British Operation’—Misuzu-chan’s quirky naming!—she led the vanguard, right? That’s huge for a first-year.”

When it was all over, Trinity’s flag flew over Arius Branch School. Not everything is settled, but…

Ritsuko looked utterly drained when I saw her after days. She said Arius students were everywhere, and she nearly died. Still, she became the MVP for subduing over a hundred of them, hehe.

“…Oh, right. And Senpai, just in case, prepare materials for the Eden Treaty incident.”

“Hm? Something up?”

I wouldn’t mention it if there wasn’t, you airheaded Senpai! This is all for your own good.

“Probably… on the day of Mika-sama’s second hearing, another one might be held.”

“Hmm. News to me.”

I’m not certain, but judging by Pater’s internal movements… Setsune-san will definitely act. A final attack on Hikari-senpai, born of fear. I’ll say this: She’s coming. She’s definitely coming!

“You’re great at speeches anyway, Senpai. No need to worry. I’ll help you out.”

“Thanks, but… wait. That hearing’s about me?”

If you’d studied even a little literature by second year, you wouldn’t say that, would you?

I flashed a bright smile.

“Yup.”

Hikari-senpai’s Adam’s apple made a hic sound.