After the short break, the General Student Council President went straight to the point. Thankfully, her attitude was more proactive than I had expected.
[First, the justification for pressuring the Kaiser Corporation is more than sufficient. It's obvious they'll try to cut their losses, but it will be difficult for them to brush this incident aside so easily. First, they orchestrated the hijacking of the Odyssey school ship. Second, they ordered the bombardment of both the Gehenna and Trinity districts. And finally, they used the hijacked school ship as a malicious trap in a terror attack targeting students of the SRT Special Academy, under the direct jurisdiction of the General Student Council.]
Listing it out like that, I had to wonder what on earth Kaiser was thinking, acting so recklessly. Their crimes were severe. The first two could be brushed off with a slap on the wrist if they cut ties cleanly, by Kivotos standards, but the last one was too much to get away with just by sacrificing a pawn.
[Not only were the lives of the students of Nereus and the Tea Party Host of Trinity put in grave danger during these events, but with the added testimony and confession of their collaborator, Miss Kosaka Wakamo, and a united front from three academies… yes, it would be stranger if the General Student Council didn't cooperate.]
"...Hey, GSC President. Why do I get the feeling that the more you talk, the more negative your tone becomes?"
[That is because… on this matter, I am, in fact, taking a negative position, Tea Party Host.]
Wait, what is she talking about? Weren't we supposed to be cooperating to, if not decapitate Kaiser, at least cut them off at the waist?
…Let's just ignore the fact that hitting either the neck or the waist is equally fatal.
[You will need to provide a very convincing explanation for that, General Student Council President. When three major academies, with the backing of the General Student Council, put their minds to something, there is virtually nothing impossible in Kivotos, short of annihilating a specific district. For you to take a negative stance despite this is… something I find difficult to understand.]
The Odyssey Admiral and I were fundamentally on the same page. In my case, it was because I knew Kaiser's actions were of no benefit to Kivotos. For the Admiral, it was because he was filled with the resolve to see Kaiser punished. If the GSC President's dampening words weren't followed by a proper explanation, it would be difficult for us to trust her.
'Don't trust the General Student Council President, either.'
...Damn it. GSC President, why are you making it so hard for me to actually trust you?
[Please, do not misunderstand. I am fully aware that Kaiser's existence is entirely detrimental. However, there are a few things you are all overlooking. First, let us clearly establish the fact that Kaiser is a private corporation. They are not an academy with their own autonomous district.]
The moment the GSC President began her explanation, I had a feeling I knew where this was going. Yes, a GSC President whom even Nagisa respects must have factored something into her calculations that I had missed. It would be best to hear her out.
[Kaiser's octopus-like business expansion is well-known, so I'm sure you are all aware of it. They currently own over 100 subsidiary companies. The chaos that would inevitably arise from taking them down would not be small.]
"But just because they're a 'necessary evil' doesn't mean we can let them run rampant like this. I doubt you're suggesting we refuse a vaccination just because the shot hurts a little…"
[As you say, there is a need to cut off the Kaiser Corporation's arms and legs. To do that, we must strike at their core businesses where it would hurt the most, but this is where the problem begins. The moment Kaiser cuts its losses and feigns ignorance, our justification weakens.]
"Weakened justification is still justification."
[If our justification were absolute, Kaiser wouldn't be able to say a word. But if it weakens, they'll find their voice, Tea Party Host. Can you not picture it? Three academies and the General Student Council deliberately framing and oppressing an innocent civilian company, they'd cry out, inciting other corporations by asking if they can be sure the same won't happen to them… The President of the Kaiser Corporation is a man whose ability matches his ambition. He is not an opponent we can rush into blindly. To get what we want from him, we must be prepared to lose a great deal.]
There it was, the thing I had suspected. If Kaiser were to rally other corporations and create a unified voice of opposition, the General Student Council would be in a difficult position. They couldn't just strike down all of them, and if the Kaiser President was as capable as the GSC President claimed, he would be more than able to pull it off.
"When you say 'prepared to lose a great deal,' you're speaking from the General Student Council's perspective, right?"
[Something like that. The General Student Council is an institution that exists upon the faith of all the citizens and students of Kivotos. Everything I have done so far has been within the bounds of not betraying that trust, but deliberately taking down a private corporation is a dangerous choice that could shatter that trust in an instant… and more importantly, I—]
The GSC President, who had been speaking fluidly, suddenly fell silent. As the silence stretched on, the Odyssey Admiral tapped his fingers on the desk, urging her to continue. In contrast, I sensed that what she was about to say was directly related to the secrets surrounding her. Believing my own hypothesis that the GSC President was something akin to a 'regressor,' I wondered if perhaps she was afraid of a future she didn't know. Or perhaps, there was a role only the GSC President knew that Kaiser had to fulfill, making her reluctant to take them down.
[Attempting to completely destroy Kaiser will cause more harm than good. That is my judgment. I can offer my assistance in inflicting damage beyond the justification they have given us, but if you desire more than that, you cannot expect the support of the General Student Council.]
"Hmm. I see. So that's the General Student Council President's position."
For a moment, I nearly snapped at her not to be a coward. But I couldn't do that. I don't know what hardships the GSC President has been through, or what arduous path she walked before deciding to entrust everything to Sensei. So, I will not blame her.
"Yukino-chan once told me that justice is the right path that aligns with the truth. I wonder if you know what that means?"
[You are trying to say that I am turning my back on justice, I presume.]
"You catch on quick. I'll cut to the chase. Give me command authority over FOX Platoon for this operation. I don't need any other support from the General Student Council."
[…Wait, Tea Party Host. Are you fully aware of the meaning of your words right now?]
"Ahaha, of course. I'm perfectly aware. I have just declared that I will attack Kaiser from the shadows."
I have enough pieces to move. Even if the GSC President refused to hand over FOX Platoon, I still had Arius Squad at my disposal. All I ever needed was the resolve.
[…Odyssey will provide all necessary supplies, as well as troops.]
"No, that's not necessary. We don't need troops, Admiral Mitsurugi. I won't refuse the offer of supplies, but a full-frontal war is clearly the wrong move in attacking Kaiser. The troops must be a small, elite force…"
[Tea Party Host… please, think rationally. How can I possibly condone the leader of an academy launching a terror campaign against a civilian company…!]
"No, I couldn't be more rational right now. Students nearly died, GSC President. A situation where hundreds of students could have trembled in fear and drowned in that cold sea, when even one or two would have been a grave matter. Don't you dare speak to me of rationality, not after I experienced that scene myself."
Kaiser cannot be allowed to run rampant like this. Students nearly died. There is no guarantee that something similar won't happen again.
"What do you think I felt when Yukino-chan, with the resolve to die, told me to stay out of danger? Don't you dare make light of what I had to witness—a scene where kids my age were screaming with their eyes that they were prepared to give their lives for justice. Just as I respect your decision, isn't it right for you to respect mine?"
[…]
"I cannot stand by and watch Kaiser act as they please. The thought that they might do something similar again, that the people around me might get caught up in it, is suffocating. So, I will ask you again, formally. Transfer the command authority of FOX Platoon to me until I judge that sufficient damage has been inflicted upon Kaiser."
If this had been a face-to-face meeting instead of a video call, I could have conveyed my feelings more clearly. I regretted not going through the trouble of meeting her in person.
[…As the Tea Party Host wishes, I will transfer the command authority of FOX Platoon and will turn a blind eye to this matter.]
It was the moment the GSC President declared her defeat.
[However, allowing the Tea Party Host to be the sole judge of what constitutes 'sufficient damage' is far too dangerous. Therefore, I will be the one to make that judgment and inform you. Of course, this will be finalized upon mutual agreement. You can make at least that much of a compromise, can't you?]
…Apparently, it wasn't a defeat, but a white flag signaling a desire to negotiate.
"Yes, that's more than enough."
Still, I had gotten what I wanted. For me, it was a negotiation with no losses.
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