[Blue Archive] I am the Trinity Checkpoint Chief – Chapter 34

The military must be loyal to the state.

Insubordination undermines military discipline. The most egregious form of insubordination a serving officer or general can commit is rebellion, which simultaneously represents the gravest military and political crisis the administration can face.

Of course, insubordination against unjust orders is a soldier’s natural right. But the means differ.

A coup inherently causes significant unrest within the military. If the rebel leader attempts to escalate the situation into civil war, it becomes grounds for widespread purges. Not all insubordination is deemed illegal, but all rebellion is.

Trinity General Academy knew this well. Most historians agree that, since the First Ecumenical Council, the Justina Order of Saints taking charge of campus security was an attempt by the Tea Party to establish civilian control over the military. Some historians even argue that excommunicating the Arius faction was a choice made for this purpose.

The existence of the Justice Task Force, an excellent security organization, has alleviated many such concerns.

Despite their controversies, students gathered under the banner of maintaining campus security are unlikely to harbor ulterior motives. And since they’re mostly infantry, even if they rebelled, they’d be relatively easy to handle.

Aside from the Justice Task Force, Trinity has two remaining military organizations:

The Sisterhood and the Border Checkpoint.

Everyone likely thinks the same about the former. A group dedicated to healing the sick and feeding the hungry—do they even have time to think about rebellion? Their centuries-long tradition of political neutrality is unlikely to break.

So, the latter is the real issue. A force of about four hundred, similar in size to the Justice Task Force, isn’t something to dismiss.

Someone in the Tea Party must be thinking: If the head of the Border Checkpoint, a massive paramilitary organization, starts swinging her sword, what kind of upheaval could she bring to this precarious political system? They’re caught up in baseless delusions.

Perhaps the rumors swirling around the new Checkpoint Captain and the artillery buildup as part of the anti-Gehenna policy are being interpreted as her acting on her own power-hungry ambitions.

This is how you get plagued by suspicion.

Last night, I experienced something unexpected. From an entirely unforeseen source—or perhaps sources—I learned I was being viewed through such a lens. They shook me to my core.

From some perspectives, it could be said I was backstabbed by my closest friend and the one I’m most loyal to. That experience was enough to plant the seed of doubt that their treatment of me might not be genuine.

Let’s see… What did Nagisa-sama say when she called out of the blue? “From now on, I’d like to assign an attendant from the Filius faction to accompany you.” Even someone as dense as me can’t miss what that means.

Two days ago, Hanako labeled me a potential rebel leader, and now Nagisa-sama is starting to keep me in check.

“…Wouldn’t it be better to just get demoted and transferred to the Supplementary Lessons Department?”

“If you did that, the Checkpoint members might actually riot. By the way, why are you saying such sensitive things to me? I’d rather die alongside Captain Tsurugi-san if it came to that.”

“Well, Ichika-san, you seem like someone who keeps their mouth shut, so I figured I’d vent a bit.”

I cut some well-cooked ribs and passed a few pieces to Ichika-san. “Thanks!” she said, munching away.

At the twilight hour as the sun set, the barbecue restaurant was packed with students in black uniforms. Taking a break during a protest suppression operation, I noticed the Justice Task Force having a team dinner and decided to crash it. My tan uniform stands out, so I’m tucked away in a corner.

The student in front of me was boasting about her presence in the Justice Task Force, and seeing first-years greet her as they passed by, it seems true. Well, a good personality and a bit of flexibility are the shortcut to popularity.

The meat’s delicious. I want to eat more, but it’s almost time to start the operation, so I’ve got to go. Ugh, what a shame.

Beep-beep-beep.

The sound of my watch ringing pained me. Just one more piece of meat! Why does it cook so slowly at times like this?

“What’s that sound?”

“Time to get back to work. It’s not a Checkpoint team dinner today, and honestly, we don’t have the budget for it.”

“Haha… is that so? I’ll take it in a good way.”

“Good vibes are good vibes. I’ve really got to go now. Thanks for the meat. Let’s meet up sometime when there’s no work.”

A clean handshake, and we part ways, though I’m still reluctant about the meat.

Damn it, once we get a new budget, I’m building a barbecue pit right next to Checkpoint headquarters. We’ll buy some pork belly or whatever and throw a huge party. If Gehenna doesn’t cause trouble, I’ll invite them too, and maybe reach out to the Prefect Team.

Those damn violent protesters. Why are they rioting today? If I were lucky, I’d have called the whole Checkpoint crew to crash this.

Following the sharp cracks of gunfire, I headed to the main road. Our shield-bearing members were desperately holding back protesters trying to breach the defensive line. Tear gas from the rear ranks filled the street with acrid smoke.

Listen closely to their chants:

“Death to the Gehenna demon bitches!”

“Wake up, Tea Party, stop siding with those devil bastards!”

Goddamn it. Gehenna again.

Don’t those guys ever get tired?

“Hey, senpai! You’re finally here… Wait, hold on. No gas mask, not even a regular mask?! Put one on, quick! Do you know how thick the tear gas is here? Want to choke and get dragged off by the Knight Order?”

“It’s not that bad. Anyway, is Sayuri-san ready? We need to wrap this up before sunset and pull out.”

“She said it’s ready as soon as you give the order. But she kept asking if it’s really okay to fire.”

“I hashed it out with the partial-wave kids, so it’s fine. I’ll take full responsibility, so let’s uproot those bastards now.”

As Ritsuko-chan relayed the bombardment order via radio, the front-line students, who’d been fending off bullets with shields, raised them in unison. They knelt, forming a roof with their shields to brace for the incoming shells.

The protesters, unaware, aimed their guns at the exposed students.

BOOOOOOM!!!

Of course, they were forcefully subdued shortly after.

A massive explosion erupted beyond the shield roof. High-explosive shells from the ten self-propelled guns we brought to the city struck simultaneously. The flames from the time-on-target barrage were so intense that nearby merchants came out, suspecting a gas explosion.

Just ten shells did this much—imagine forty hitting at once. It’d be a sight. It’s too massive to try without serious consideration, but if I close my eyes and fire, it’d feel like divine punishment.

As the flames died down, the members under the shields began standing up. Like last time, nearly all the protesters were passed out, making out with the pavement.

“Ritsuko-chan, call Sayuri-san and tell her to pull out. Oh, and get the Knight Order over here!”

“Got it!”

***

“No, you’re ignoring my request to meet and talk, and now you’re telling me to hold back on protest suppression? What am I supposed to do? Why not just tell me to resign and quit outright!”

“We’re truly sorry, but Nagisa-sama was very firm. It’s probably best to report in person later. I’ll arrange a schedule for you.”

Damn it.

This cursed Trinity political scene.

Nagisa-sama rejected my meeting request. In all my time going back and forth to the Tea Party hall, this has never happened. Good lord, to put it dramatically, it’s like the student council president openly expressing disdain for a department head!

To be honest, today’s protest suppression was partly to send a message to Nagisa-sama: “Look, I’m actively crushing those who oppose you!”

But judging by her reaction, she seems to have interpreted it as, “I’m powerful enough to fire cannons in your front yard!” This misunderstanding—or not quite misunderstanding—has put me in a tough spot.

My position as a department head isn’t low, so I won’t get fired or demoted outright, but if Nagisa-sama keeps suspecting me, the Checkpoint’s budget will inevitably shrink. We might end up fighting protesters with just L85s again.

Not good.

Damn it. I’m craving a cigarette. I heard some Checkpoint kids smoke—does it really relieve stress that much?

No, stop with the distractions. I need to figure out how to break through this mess. Asking for help from a moderate faction like Sanctus would be pointless and might even make me look like I’m laying the groundwork for a power grab. Making peace with Gehenna has the same drawback.

Come to think of it, this all stems from Nagisa-sama’s personality. Hanako’s probably smart enough to resolve her own suspicions, so that’s a bit better, but how do I handle Nagisa-sama’s issue in a way that’ll spread as a success story?

I need a powerful breakthrough. Something that shows my loyalty to her without threatening her, something external but neutral, not tied to our internal politics.

Like, for example, the General Student Council—

The General Student Council?

Hmm, the General Student Council is definitely one of the most neutral organizations in Kivotos, so it’s a solid option. Let’s think. Among their departments, the Defense Department would be the one related to the Checkpoint’s duties.

But lately, I’ve heard the Defense Department’s been doing a piss-poor job.

Pass.

So, what’s left…

Oh. There’s one.

I found a place that could be a real breakthrough.