Blue Archive story · Act 2: Volume 2, Chapter 2, Episode 14
Act 2 Vol. 2 Ch. 2 Ep. 14: Traitors
1 scenes, 175 lines
1. Part 1
175 lines
People don't come here often.
And since we can't keep meeting on campus, we have to be discreet.
Damn it, damn it!
I can't believe I just stood there and watched Sensei get taken away... And I call myself a member of the Prefect Team...?!
Calm yourself, Iori. Sensei anticipated this happening.
That's why we were each given our own roles.
...Sensei predicted that they'd let their guard down once the "central figure" was removed.
Now, our true operation begins. We need to scatter and return to our respective battlegrounds.
...I think we all do.
Which is why we better get a few good hits in. Do we all know our assignments?
First, we need to gather as many like-minded people as possible.
I'll recruit from the Prefect Team members. I'm sure some of them resisted being swept into this madness.
I'll do the same with the Pandemonium Society.
Even without my old authority, I should be able to persuade a few students, save for the third-years.
And we'll do what we can with the Heritage League.
And, most importantly...we need Satsuki's jamming frequency.
...No matter how much attention we draw or how many people we gather, it's worthless if we can't undo the brainwashing... Satsuki?
Fufu... Leave it to me. There's no one in Kivotos who's studied the Tyrant Emperor's research more than I have.
I'm counting on it.
I can't afford to embarrass myself while my underclassmen are working this hard.
Also, I can't bear to keep seeing Makoto like this.
...Yes. Me too.
When the time comes, we will clear a path to the broadcasting room.
Security's tight, but we can do it.
And we'll have to mind the Prefect Team and Pandemonium Society upperclassmen.
If we're caught... It won't end well.
...We'd be branded as traitors to Gehenna and tortured...or imprisoned if they're feeling merciful.
Would they really go that far?
You heard the Head Prefect's warning... She's unstoppable.
We can't think of her as the same Hina we knew.
What if she shows up in the middle of the fray? Do we have a plan?
...*sigh* Honestly, there's no strategizing around that.
If the Head Prefect steps up, it'll be over in an instant.
So she's that powerful...
The war preparations are nearly finalized. If we're going to take action, we must act quickly.
Ugh. But we need more time! We've barely built a resistance!
We'll do our best to delay the Prefect Team's ordnance approval process as much as possible.
And although they're not currently present, there are others like us, ones willing to fight for the cause.
For example...
I REFUSE!!! I CAN'T!!!
What?! Explain yourself!
It's only preparing necessary supplies!
It's no different from your standard School Lunch Club duties. Why can you not fulfill the request?
Is there something UNREASONABLE about preparing combat rations for all the Gehennan troops? You have a 72-hour deadline.
Three days? Are you kidding me?! Do you realize how many hungry teenage girls are in Gehenna?! And there are TWO of us cooking! Do the math!
It will be possible if you move efficiently. See here, we have already broken down our entire training schedule on a minute-to-minute basis...
Yes, that's YOUR problem! Cooking doesn't work like that.
Okay, listen carefully. I will explain, rationally, why I cannot prepare all these combat rations in three days.
First, we don't have proper facilities.
The main valve is about to burst from baking high-calorie protein bars for a day straight.
If I run one more round of these ration bars, the oven will explode, blowing up the cafeteria building and us along with it. Do you still think I should try?
I-I heard a strange noise coming from the oven just now... Like an animal crying... Is it because I touched the door last?
Cry...? Wait, from the oven...?
Stay focused! Second, there are the preservation issues.
Are you aware that most of your "essential items" require stable refrigeration? They will SPOIL at room temperature.
If we pack food like this on the trucks, don't bother with the war. The entire student body will be wiped out by food poisoning.
If you really want a biohazard on your hands, then go ahead and keep pushing me!
...Th-That's not...
And lastly, we don't have enough people.
Even if the two of us pulled all-nighters, we can't cook eight times more food than usual. It's physically and temporally impossible!
Ah! The rice ball I made came to life...and it's eating the pantry's emergency food supply...!
Wh-What should we do? President, please...!
See that? And now I need at least three MORE days just to exterminate whatever's crawling around back there.
Th-Three days?! This is unacceptable! The chairman demands results!
Then do it yourselves! But you can't, because all of this is impossible!
Tch, I didn't anticipate such hindrances...
We've overlooked the importance of provisions. At this rate, the entire schedule will be delayed.
...What are the available solutions? Give me whatever's fastest!
In that case...!
...Which is precisely why we were dispatched to assist with preparing the menü!
BUT NONE OF YOU CAN COOK!
Ah, is that pertinent to the task?
Are you kidding me?
Some time later...
All done! I sifted the flour!
Wow! That was so fast! Great, I'll start the dough.
Slicing onions... Such a simple task.
Cut according to the specified standards without even a millimeter of error...
*sigh* My eyes. *sniff* But...
I cannot afford to take the preparations lightly. *sniff*
Haruna, you're doing way better than I anticipated... But why are you crying so hard?
...What do you mean by that?
Fuuka, have you not been left breathless by the surging desire for conquest flowing through your veins?
Once, we were obsessed with the illusory pretension of fine dining. Now, all we care for is the conquest of Kivotos.
The path to victory is built with our very own hands.
*sniff*
...Is it not natural for us to participate in the preparation process?
...
Fufu, I can't wait for the day we take over Kivotos. Then I wouldn't have to steal gold maguro from other academies. We'd all be one!
You know, I think that predictably edible food like this might be much more delightful than some uncertain dining experience!
Now then, girls, let's do our best so that glorious day can dawn! ★
Something weird is going on with those two. Well, they were always WEIRD, but...
...Like they turned into different people?
Ah, yeah. That's it. They barely cared about the school before, and now it's like they're in love with Gehenna...
It's almost as if Haruna and Akari think there's something...actually more important than food.
...There's something strange about Gehenna right now.
I like a world with a variety of tastes...
But if the entire world turns into Gehenna like those two say, wouldn't those...rare and special dishes disappear?
Ugh... So tragic! I don't want THAT...
...And if a war really breaks out, it's going to impact all the good food shops I worked so hard to find.
They might face ingredient shortages, a bomb could fall on them, or they could even run out of business.
There's so many places I never got to try...
...Then we should stop this war from starting. Or delay it as much as possible.
H-How?
Troops can't march on an empty stomach.
And WE are in charge of providing provisions for all of Gehenna.
...So we just need to screw everything up?
Yes.
I-I even sent the grandest epicures in Gehenna to assist them!
So HOW is supply production down by half?!
W-Well... All we got from them is that there's a "law of diminishing returns"!
Tch, that sounds wrong, but I've never studied the logistics of cooking for the masses...!
I can't believe consolidating all food production to the School Lunch Club would come back to bite us like this!
Chairman Makoto, I doubt this is simply a matter of worker synergy.
What?! What do you mean by that, Senior Administrator Amau Ako?!
...It reeks of an intended slowdown. In short, sabotage.
Surely you're aware of us quashing the rebel organization that opposed a unified Gehenna.
I believe we should take a similar approach with these dissidents.
...But we locked up Sensei. They were the central figure. The ringleader!
While regrettable, embers often smolder after a fire is extinguished.
Then what actions should we take?! Would punishing the School Lunch Club President Aikiyo Fuuka set an!
No. That would not relieve the most pertinent setback of this situation.
No one else is capable of managing food production at this scale, especially in such a tight timeframe. We need Fuuka.
Fuuka's rebelling because she realizes how important she is.
...She's right. If we punish the School Lunch Club now, Gehenna's entire supply chain will collapse.
Then what's your solution? Is there a way to halt the slowdown?
To be frank, I can't fathom a method.
That's right. Fuuka and Juri can be so stubborn.
It's always a pain when an irreplaceable employee realizes their worth...
Tch, I didn't bring this up to hear you all banter. Bring me a solution!
Isn't this your fault for failing to train replacements for the School Lunch Club?
Silence!!!
If you desire, we can increase the duration and scope of the Gourmet Research Society's surveillance.
Phew... Very well. You may return to your posts. And prepare reports!
And please bear in mind that any action against the School Lunch Club will only worsen the situation... Fufu.
Hmph, wasn't the Gourmet Society the greatest threat to the School Lunch Club? I recall several lunchroom bombings and even kidnapping the School Lunch Club president.
Such was necessary in the pursuit of fine dining. But now that we have a more important goal, we have reformed.
And we're the only ones who should be bullying the School Lunch Club, you know? We can't let others think it's okay! ★
...Unbelievable.
Senior Administrator Ako. If this situation persists, how long will it set us back?
...At least weeks, if not months.
I agree.
But it appears that our plan to blitzkrieg our primary targets before the General Student Council intervenes has become unviable.
In fact, there are still several sources of uncertainty. The longer we stall, the worse our outcome.
While we've also been throttling social media, posts occasionally slip through. We track and remove them, but...
...Like what?
Destroy, and establish a new order on the scorched earth.
"Destroy"... You mean the entirety of Kivotos? How?
Kihehe, it's a simple task.
If we possessed a few dozen chemical warheads...each capable of completely decimating a central D.U. district...
Does that mean...?
Precisely. We will resurrect one of the Tyrant Emperor's most strategic weapons.
And what of the time frame?
Kihehe, it's a simple, quick task. The details never left my memory.
...Impressive.
We've limited ourselves by only considering occupation. But now that the situation has changed, the methods must as well.
This noble crusade will not be thwarted by a few uncooperative dissidents.
...Gehenna truly has such underlying potential. I didn't know we could create such things.
Kihe. We simply did not reveal or act on the possibility.
However, after realizing that the "line" we've been protecting is meaningless, such restrictions are wholly unnecessary.
And I guarantee you, Gehenna is the most united academy out there. We are one.
...Precisely. Our glorious Gehenna surpasses all others.
We will commence the war as soon as the weapons are ready. Everyone, remain on alert and stand by.
Understood. Ako, brief me on the changes made to our original attack plan.
Yes, Head Prefect. I will report to you in an hour.
...