8: Brilliant Week (II)

Master! Suzuka! Gawain! Over here!

All the other racers are already gathering at the starting point! Go on! Don't worry, I'll take care of the registration stuff!

？！

Huh? What are you doing at the starting line, Fujimaru?

Shouldn't you be in the gift box they will be presenting to the winner?

？！

Hey, where do you think you're going, Altria!? You're not done tuning up the chariot yet!

If I'm going to lend you my chariot, I expect you to win, got it!?

I took the roof off so you'd stand out. Try to win over the crowd, too! Imagine you're singing a song onstage or something!

My chariot is the embodiment of my authority as queen, so the more people cheer for it, the stronger it gets.

If you can draw enough attention and support, you should be able to go fast enough to make first place a real possibility.

So let's go get that prize and leave Morgan's fancy, favored racer in the dust!

You can even take all the QP, and I'll settle for just the prize! Doesn't that sound fair to

What are you doing here? Did you come to cheer us on?

？！

Indeed. I never thought I would see a girl who looks just like my king wearing such a cute outfit.

I will remember this for the rest of my life. I may well flash back to it every time I wield Galatine.

Huh!? Nobody said Gawain would be here, too!

Uh, I mean...

This outfit was all the Normalization Committee's idea. Well, really, it was more that CnocI mean, Yaraändoo chose it for me, before I'd even said yes!

It's fine, you can just call me Cnoc na Riabh if you want. Besides, I've been calling you "Altria" instead of "Manny."

More importantly, I'm very glad to see you're all right, Fujimaru.

We were all really worried after you disappeared from Waikiki, but then someone from the UDK came along...

...and told us you'd be recuperating here for a while. But the next day, we learned more about this race, and

Yeah! As if Morgan running it wasn't a big enough deal, then we saw YOU listed as the victory prize!

So we talked it over amongst ourselves and decided Cnoc na Riabh and I would come take part in the race to try and rescue you, and now we find you out here!?

What've you been doing all this time!? You'd better not've been getting all chummy with freaking MORGAN!

Don't you tell me to calm down! Do you have any idea how worried I've been!?

Hey, at least everything turned out okay, right? So it's no biggie anymore.

More importantly, I'm wondering what you're doing racing with that other girl.

？！

Oh, yeah. We've spent most of the last four days together...

...after I grabbed her hand and basically saved her life when she got blown away in that storm.

We've been singing songs together, going shopping together, and, you know, this and that.

Damn, girl, so you got yourself a bestie at your vacation spot? That's so sweet! I'm, like, happy for you!

？！

Huh? Why wouldn't we? You're the prize, right?

Yeah, of course we're still going to compete.

I mean, uh, I'm sure Morgan is up to something! So as a fellow...you know, I can't just do nothing, right?

The race will begin momentarily. All competitors, please make your way to your starting positions.

All right, we can talk more later! If we're gonna race, then we ought to, like, enjoy it as much as we can!

Oh, but first...

I'm giving the hot pink leopard bikini a break and switching to this dazzling, surefire classic resplendent with summer's radiance!

Now this is what I call a red-hot summer outfit! Suzuka Gozen (Vacay), the ultimate heavenly maiden, has arrived!

So, what do you think, Fujimaru!? There's no possible way you and I are walking away with anything but first place now!

Attention all racers. We will begin in ten...nine...eight...

Oh, one last reminder: fighting between racers IS permitted.

A loss in battle will disqualify you from the race, so racers are encouraged to not hold back.

？！

Oh, right. Two...one...start. The Earthman Race has officially begun.

Hell yeah! But I can't take all the credit.

Your magical energy is why we're going so fast, Master. My summer nitro boosts alone wouldn't last this long.

Hey, watch it!

Oopsie! I was so infuriated by what I just heard that my hand keeps slipping onto my "Bombs away!" button!

Riding all alone with Master is bad enough, but now I hear you're getting magical energy from him, too!? No fair!

？！

I hate to say it, but this is as fast as I can go! And it looks like Mélusine still has speed to spare!

Plus, since the last course is on open sea, there's no mountains or buildings to get in her way anymore!

The only way we're gonna catch up to her is if we, like, get real lucky with a tailwind or something!

？！

Attention, everyone. We have a late announcement. There has been a change to the race's rules.

Our final area was originally going to be an above-water course on the ocean...

...but since then, a certain expert has pointed out that it "doesn't make sense to not have swimming in a triathlon."

Her Majesty, High Queen Morgan, has agreed, saying, quote, "How astute of my husband."

As a result, the final course has been shifted from above water to under it!

Please note that any attempts to fly over the course or drive atop the water's surface will result in immediate disqualification.

...Huh?

"Underwater"? As in...swimming?

Oh, yeah. Now that you mention it, this IS supposed to be a triathlon, isn't it?

Well, that's no problem for me! My bike's totally outfitted for, like, water resistance AND oxygen provision!

I mean, I gotta have that stuff if I'm going to hang with Otohime in the Dragon Palace! Anyway, get ready to get wet, Master!

I don't think this is going to be enough to let me catch up though. I mean, she was, like, born from a lake, right?

And didn't she spend all her stay at the hotel on the beach? So she's gotta be even faster in the water.

Hm?

...

How come she's freezing up?

？！

Huh? You want to go to the bay? In a boat?

？！

...Not right now, no. It's number six on the list of things I want to do with you.

Ohhh, I see. You just don't want me there with you when you go. Is that it?

...

？！

Ohhh!

So THAT'S why she spent all her beach time in a chair! She just, like, didn't wanna go in the water!

Well, in that case, I'm going full throttle! This race is as good as won!

It's not like I CAN'T swim... I just don't like the way seawater sticks to me, that's all...

Maybe if I use my max firepower to evaporate the seawater... No, I'd definitely get in trouble for that.

All right, I'm out of here.

And now, a message for Mélusine from High Queen Morgan.

"Do not even think about forfeiting. Continue the race, or I will reveal your secret to the world."

"You are here on behalf of Faerie Britain. Failure is not an option. If you must drown, so be it."

Wha...!? Not even Aurora was THAT bad!

Sweet, the seabed's been worked on to make it easier to drive on! Man, I'm glad my bike's amphibious♪

Only ten kilometers to go now! Hang on tight, MasAah!

(Blub blub, blub blub blub blub!) (Blub bluuub!)

(Blub! Blub blub blub!)

I have no idea what you're saying, but I guess you mean business, huh? Fine, let's do this whole final battle thing.

If you're a ways away, listen up! If you're close by, see for yourselves!

All you sea-gods focus up and make some noise. The wait for the rising and setting of the sun is finally over!

This is me, my Summer Nirvana, Sunbeam Garden! Get ready, everyone, 'cause Suzuka Gozen's about to make off with every fox's greatest prize!

Suzuka and Fujimaru have just crossed the finish line!

And there goes the checkered flag! It's official!

The winners of the Earthman Race Bristin Cup are Suzuka and Fujimaru!

Hohoho. Well done, young ones. I don't consider this a dark horse victory at all.

As I suspected, you are indeed the Child of Prophecy. You are the one who will save Hawaltria.

You are the guy who will grant the wish of Wandjina, the great spirit who dwells in Australia.

But this isn't the end for the race. A typhoon is heading this way, and it will lay waste to everything!

(Who is this guy, and what is he talking about?)

？！

No way, Master! This was OUR victory! And we showed dragon girl what's what, too! Now Waikiki's defo going back to nor

？！

...Mélusine. Even if you are merely a corpse, I still expected better from Albion's left hand.

Very well, you leave me no choice. I am going to push the Oceanunnos button.

Whaaa...!? Hold up, Morgan! You can't do that!

Just because the race didn't go how you wanted doesn't give you the right to ruin it!

You do this, and you can forget about your bridal gauge just getting EMPTIED! You'll end up deep in negative numbers!

Do not try to stop me, Totorot! I am a queen! I must avenge any humiliation I suffer with all haste!

It would disgrace all of Faerie Britain if I were to let anyone but a faerie take first place!

Morgan! I'm your friend, and I can't let you commit a crime like this. I WILL stop you, even if I have to throw myself in your way.

...Having said all of that, I do not wish to see my bridal gauge in the negative.

Very well. Just this once, I'll defer to you and refrain from

Oh crap, we're gonna get caught in a whirlpool! The kind you definitely can't escape!

How could this happen after we won and everything!? Did Morgan do this!?

I wouldn't put it past her. She tries to resolve everything with force applied from a distance.

？！

Oh come on, don't tell me you're giving up already. Is that really all this year's top Rider's got to show for herself?

You beat a whole bunch of rivals to make it this far. Don't let a little storm stop you now!

Huh? No way. You're

Congrats! Even from a distance, I could see that was some spectacular driving!

Makes me want to try navigating the seven seas on my own motorcycle. Just shows what you can do when you combine engineering with hopes and dreams!

？！

Sure was. I wanted to compete in the race too, but my Golden Hind here wouldn't exactly be a good fit, right?

So I decided to just watch from the sea.

'Course, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that idiot Blackbeard. He asked me to keep an eye on things in his stead 'cause he was busy with club stuff.

Ugh, I swear. If he had a feeling something bad was gonna happen at sea, he shoulda been here himself, if you ask me.

Still, it was also pretty obvious he was making an excuse to give me a turn, so I guess I'm not too upset.

Anyway, ladies, I got you here like I promised! Now go kick this thing's ass!

Thanks, Captain Drake! I knew we could count on the British navy!

While I won't say I'm embarrassed on my family's behalf, I will say that I cannot let Lady Morgan get away with this.

Rest assured that I can still fight perfectly well even at sea. If I must, I will banish this entire typhoon with the sun's rays!

I'll help too, of course. It's only fair that High Queen Morgan faces some consequences for this.

？！

Right! This time, we're all going to work as one team! All together now! Three... Two... One...

Curse you, Morgan!

And so, with everyone's hearts united as one, High Queen Morgan's Oceanunnos was beaten black-and-blue.

The race continued uninterrupted, and Lady Suzuka Gozen and Lord Fujimaru were officially declared the winners.

In spite of all that had happened, the Earthman Race concluded to resounding cheers. A wildly successful end to the race!

Daikokuten, signing off. Thank you all for listening.

...I know what you wish to say. As the ruler of a nation, there is but one thing for me to do.

I am...somewhat sorry. I find I may slightly regret what I did.

I, uh... That wasn't actually Morgan's fault. I'm the one who messed up...

Now that my plan has failed, I no longer have any reason to detain you further in Bristin, Fujimaru.

Return to Waikiki if that is what you desire.

I promise that Oceanunnosthe calamity I created will not make another appearance.

I mean, we were gonna go back anyway, so... Was there anything else, Fujimaru?

Morgan looks genuinely sorry now, so if you have any other questions, I think now's your chance to get some answers.

？！

？！

...It speaks well of you that you noticed that. Very well, I will gladly answer.

This island desires a fantasythe fantasy that everyone get along.

Needless to say, such a thing has never been possible, and it never will be.

Erasing all conflict from human society is a wish humankind can never hope to achieve.

And so, Fujimaru and his companions left Bristin behind.

Their crown jewel doujin for ServantFes was complete, and copies had already been printed.

With Morgan's selfish plans thwarted, ServantFes's success was all but guaranteed.

We took a long shuttle bus back to Waikiki, taking in the many beautiful sights the western side had to offer on the way.

Senpai! Congratulations on winning the race! I saw the whole thing on the live stream!

But unfortunately, you'll have to tell me all about it later! Right now, we're dealing with an emergency!

Waaah! It's over! We're done for! The beast god's cursed us! This is our divine punishment!

It...it was just a brief moment of weakness! We knew it was wrong... We really did!

We just couldn't make any headway on our rough draft...and coming up with a plot was sooo boring...

Ha! I ain't sorry! What's wrong with livin' life your own way!?

'Sides, all they're doin' is runnin' their mouths! We're the ones in the trenches doin' all the hard work!

They got no right to be judgin' us! Ain't that right, everyone!?

W-well...yeah... I guess...maybe you're right...

We didn't do anything wrong! We were just forgetting our book for a while and having some fun!

What did you say!?

Trash who can't meet deadlines...

...has no place on this island!

Aaaaaah! We're sorryyyyyy!

？！

I understand very well how you feel, Master, but please, stand your ground!

I think that's Chloe!

She's been gone for the last few days, but now she's shown up as a calamity!

I believe she's dressed like one of the legendary shamans of Hawaiian culture...

...and that she falls under the category of "Dangerous Beast"!

Uh, Mash? Do you...say weird, incomprehensible nonsense a lot, or is this more of a one-off?

Oh man, this IS bad! She's dripping with Divine Spirit-level magical energy!

Did she eat something weird over the last few days!? It shouldn't, like, even be possible to grow that huge!

It's more possible than you'd think. She's been working too hard... Much, much too hard.

All she wanted was to make good books. To take good care of the artists.

To make good quality work. To keep the artists safe.

But when those pure, earnest feelings smacked into the contradictory realization that no one was being helped...

...it awakened the beast that dwells inside her.

Now, the only thoughts in her head are, "If it's kill or be killed, I'll be the one doing the killing"...

...and, "If all the publishers, artists, and readers go away, everything will be peaceful"!

I see... So you're saying the power she usually keeps hidden to protect herself is now running amok to help her survive?

No. I'm saying she's filled with anger and hatred for artists who won't meet their deadlines and armchair critics who always say they could do better.

I'd even go so far as to say she has become the third calamity... The Calamity of Editing!

？！

Don't be ridiculous! Are you even hearing her!?

Her cries are far too anguished to come from a place of anger and hatred alone!

No, she's been possessed by spirits! They must have resonated with her when she was at her lowest!

We need to hurry and purge them from her, or we'll all pay the price!

Theeere yooou aaare.

Big Brotheeer Fujimaru.

I'm going to destroy everything...

...including myself...

...and finally be free from this heeell!

？！

Attention, everyone enjoying Hawaltria. I'm afraid we have some unfortunate news.

As a result of exigent circumstances, ServantFes has been canceled this year.

In accordance with ServantFes Normalization Committee regulations, we will now initiate a reset. We are all responsible for this state of affairs.

We advise ServantFes attendees to reflect on their behavior...

...and hope you all continue to enjoy ServantFes.