[Blue Archive] I am the Trinity Checkpoint Chief – Chapter 26

We crossed the border.

It actually worked.

Heading to the most secluded, least-known mountain path was the right call.

Of course, those Gehenna bastards made the road so damn awful that we had to flatten it with the truck’s weight as we went, but since the truck’s interior wasn’t even filled yet, there was nothing to rattle around. Just some physical discomfort, and that was it.

Here’s a pro tip: when driving on mountain paths, always check whether the ground under the truck is road or grass. In this massive mountain range where the checkpoint headquarters is located, that’s especially crucial. If you’re unlucky, you could get sucked into some flat patch in the mountains and end up stuck.

Considering those risks, me and my juniors are pretty damn lucky. It’s been hours since we crossed the border between Abydos and Gehenna, and we made it into Trinity’s jurisdiction without a single stop-and-search or chase.

“…I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“I think it’s going great, Sayuri-san. Why do you gotta ruin the vibe?”

“No, seriously. The Gehenna Prefect Team isn’t that incompetent. Even if we took the mountain route, there’s no way they wouldn’t notice. We should’ve had at least one or two chases before crossing the border, but it’s been too peaceful.”

Hmm, now that she mentions it, she’s got a point. Those Gehenna types aren’t exactly known for being dimwitted.

Just to be safe, maybe they’re lurking in the forest or something.

“Nothing beats a high-explosive round for flushing out ambushes. Should I fire a warning shot?”

“No way.”

“Absolutely not.”

“…”

Using my senior officer authority to sway the crowd? Total flop.

Why does Ritsuko-chan only side with Sayuri-san in moments like this? Isn’t it about time she takes my side for once? Neutral parties are supposed to flip-flop like bats, aren’t they?

“Come on, Ritsuko-chan, back me up for once. I’m getting lonely here.”

“No way in hell.”

My junior shook her head vigorously.

“You’ll get your head smashed by Sayuri-san if you do that.”

“What?! But I’m not some school bully!”

“I know, so calm down. Making a scene like that just makes you look more suspicious senpai. Ritsuko-chan, don’t learn that kind of thing from her.”

That kind of talk isn’t something you want to pick up.

It just makes you sound like an old geezer.

Stepping on the gas is probably better for my mental health. Between Sayuri-san calling me a school bully and the whole Ritsuko-chan fiasco, my head’s getting pummeled in real-time. I can feel a stress migraine coming on.

Sayuri-san and Ritsuko-chan are having some kind of showdown in the back, but that’s not my problem.

“Hey, what the—Sayuri-san, why are you so strong?! Senpai, save me!”

“Stay still, you little—! Don’t you dare mess with Senpai while she’s driving!”

Probably.

“Senpai, you traitor!!!”

“Um, aren’t you thirsty? How about a cup of cocoa?”

“I’ll take one, thanks.”

“You didn’t, like, put poison in the cup for me, did you?”

Is this woman paranoid or what? She freaks out the moment anything about her boss comes up.

Goddamn, I’ve lived long enough to see the Prefect Team leader barge into the checkpoint break room.

“You’ve got it backward. Aren’t you the ones who barged in here?”

“Y-Yes, you’re absolutely right.”

“What was that?!”

As much as it pains me, that busty admin officer is right.

I was the one who freaked out after opening the break room door, having just finished coddling a mentally broken Yuzuki-chan.

But that doesn’t mean you lot aren’t guilty of illegal trespassing. Sure, as Sayuri-san said, checking the communication logs would probably show that this admin officer told us they were coming regardless of our opinion, but still.

The important thing is that they’re here.

I’m in a seriously bad mood.

I went through a hell of a journey to get here from my misadventures, and all I wanted was to sleep all day.

And now, a summit? A summiiiiit??

‘Those damn bastards—’

“So, what’s the reason for your visit?”

Keeping my words and feelings separate is easy for someone like me, who’s been rolling around checkpoints for over five years. Hiding emotions and acting calm is basic for any public servant who deals with complaints all day. Sure, my position is a bit closer to fieldwork, but still.

Across from me, the Prefect Team leader, Sorasaki Hina, sipped her cocoa. Judging by how she didn’t stop at one sip, she seemed to like it.

“The reason is as I informed you. A one-on-one meeting with you, Checkpoint Captain.”

“I don’t get why. Usually, someone at your level would be having tea parties with higher-ups, not a regular department head like me.”

“Hikari Yamatsu. You’re the head of the border checkpoint. You command the third-largest paramilitary organization in Trinity. You hold a significant stake in the relationship between Gehenna and Trinity. I hope you keep that in mind.”

Hmm. Thinking about it, that’s kind of a heavy burden.

The Prefect Team leader is one sharp cookie. Logical, rational, and responsible students like her are rare. Her ability to stay composed is top-notch too. Even if I cussed her out, she’d probably just give me a warning instead of getting mad.

What a peculiar student. For someone her age, she’s unusually unique. I wonder what’s going on in that head of hers.

“Well, fine… Let’s skip the formalities and wrap this up so we can both get on with our day. Since you said one-on-one, you’ll need to send that admin officer out too.”

“Got it. Ako-san, wait outside. If it’s too hot, you can stay in the car.”

“Sayuri-san, send the others out too.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Stampede.

The crowd that had gathered to gawk at the rare sight of the Prefect Team leader cleared out in an instant.

In the middle of the quiet break room, between cafeteria tables, only two students remained.

She drew the line.

“Now it’s finally quiet. Mind if I start?”

“Go ahead.”

“Alright. As you said, let’s cut to the chase. I want to know your intentions.”

She dropped a hard-to-understand word. What the hell does that mean? But the vibe suggests she’s got more to say, so I’ll just shut up and listen.

“To be frank, the Gehenna Prefect Team can’t figure out what you think of Gehenna. After that last incident, a lot of students think you’re extremely hostile toward us, but the higher-ups, including me, aren’t so sure. I don’t think Kirifuji Nagisa would promote someone like that to captain.”

“Nagisa-sama isn’t that narrow-minded, right? If you’re talking about that incident where I beat up some Pandemonium Society students, it seems like it got blown out of proportion. A single tank rolled up, so I dealt with it like any other Pandemonium Society skirmish—casually.”

“It was a big deal. Makoto spewed some harsh curses at the council opening ceremony. Called you a crazy bitch.”

“I hear that kind of thing all the time. What’s your opinion?”

She paused for a moment. No, not just a pause—she chugged her entire cup of cocoa. A brief tea time. With nothing to do while waiting for her to speak, I decided to chug my own paper cup. The cooled cocoa was still delicious. We’ve got cocoa beans stockpiled in the warehouse; it’s about time to grind them into powder before we run low.

Noticing the leader’s expression, she seemed to want another cup, so I refilled mine and poured her one too. The petite Prefect Team leader said “Thanks” and drank it happily.

Nailed it.

“…Thanks for waiting. My take is that you’re not that hostile toward Gehenna. Compared to the previous captain, Itsuka-san, you’re definitely hardline, but I don’t think you hate Gehenna any more than the average Trinity student. Am I right?”

“Mostly, yeah. There’s a common misconception in the media—I don’t hate Gehenna. I just don’t like those Pandemonium Society jerks who keep ambushing us.”

“I’m sorry about that. Since the Prefect Team’s budget is reviewed by Pandemonium Society, we can’t actively intervene in Makoto’s decisions. But if it’s any consolation, after that incident you caused, Pandemonium Society’s been a bit more restrained.”

“Oh, really? That’s good news, no worries there. It’ll definitely be a relief for the checkpoint crew.”

Guess even Makoto learns something after getting whooped that hard. Maybe Iroha-chan raised hell or something, because she seems pretty spooked. It’s a bit of a shame, though. I had a bunch of gifts ordered, planning to bury those Gehenna folks in presents during their next ambush, but their not-so-dumb decision ruined it all.

Of course, I could always ignore the engagement rules and play Santa Claus in secret.

“Good, that’s all I needed to hear. That’s all I wanted to know from you today. As for broader foreign policy with Gehenna… I’m sure Nagisa knows better than you.”

“Probably. Unlike you, I’ve got bosses above me. I just do what I’m told. It’s a cushy job. No need to think about diplomacy or economics—just focus on border defense or riot control. Honestly, I don’t even need to think. Pull the trigger a few times, and it’s done. Easy work.”

“…Is that so? Sometimes I’m a bit jealous of people like you. No need to bear heavy responsibilities.”

“With great power comes great responsibility, right? I don’t know how heavy the burden you’re carrying is, but you’re probably going through a lot.”

“Something like that.”

That sounded sincere. She’s loosening up.

The summit’s over. It was more like a counseling session, but if we scribble some kind of agreement and exchange MomoTalk contacts, Nagisa-sama will probably let it slide.

Leaving the leader to sip her cocoa quietly, I stepped outside to call the others. From a distance, the admin officer who’d been gossiping with Sayuri-san yelled “Captain!” and came running. She tripped over the threshold trying to rush back into the break room.

A young woman with eyes for only one person.

“You okay?”

“Ow, ow… I’m fine. That didn’t take as long as I expected. I thought the leader had a lot to talk about with you—figured it’d take at least an hour or two. What’d you talk about?”

“Why’re you asking me?”

“The leader never tells me anything about these unofficial meetings. I know you won’t spill either, but I figured I’d try.”

“I can tell you she really likes cocoa. She drank it like a champ.”

Rubbing her head, the admin officer dragged the still-sipping Prefect Team leader out. The woman didn’t let go of her cocoa cup until she got into the car, even as they exchanged goodbyes.

She really loves cocoa. I heard she likes bitter coffee, but that must be a lie.

The black limousine’s engine roared, and the rear window rolled down. The Prefect Team leader’s face appeared, startling the nearby officers.

“Thanks for today. It took a load off my mind. We probably won’t see each other often, but… I can drop by if I’m craving cocoa, right?”

“Sure, if you come alone, I don’t mind. Iroha-chan’s practically living here anyway.”

“Councilor Iroha? That’s interesting. Reports said her hideout was in the Armored Corps headquarters.”

“No idea. If she’s happy, that’s her call. By the way, you might want to keep the student who investigated that at a distance.”

The corner of her mouth twitched upward. Looks like the joke landed. Ritsuko-chan and Sayuri-san are making faces, but like a few hours ago, who cares? If they’ve got a problem, they can take off their badges and fight me. The limousine drove off and vanished from sight. As always, it’s fast coming and going.

Now what? Nearly 80 kids gathered here because the Prefect Team leader was coming, but just dismissing them would tank morale. If I mess this up, I might get dragged to Nagisa-sama with a heartfelt letter of complaint.

Of course, most problems can be solved with money. Morale included.

I held up the agreement triumphantly.

“This is our generation’s peace, kids! To celebrate me surviving this summit, let’s hit the yakiniku place tonight!”

After exactly 2.4 seconds of silence, cheers erupted.

Morale-boosting plan: success.

As promised, after school, I gathered the students and headed to a yakiniku restaurant I’d reserved. The meat was so delicious it was downright euphoric—much like the restaurant owner’s face when he heard 80 kids were coming. Overwhelmed by the sheer volume, he threw in a ton of extra service, and we ate till we were stuffed.

Of course, I’m not Jesus feeding five thousand with five loaves, so my wallet took a beating.

“Damn it, my wallet.”

“But the kids ate well, didn’t they? Have a drink.”

Ritsuko-chan’s attempt at comfort was absolutely no help.