11: Corporate Booth of Death

I know. We can't believe it, either.

Maybe it's just 'cause of how fired up they were about getting Chloe back to normal.

So, now that you've read all the sample books, what do you think, Committee Head?

...Good grief. You all sure came through in a big way.

I can't bar these books from the market. They may not fit the regulations, but they're all beautiful in their own way.

In fact, they're so good that I'm going to talk to my boss...

...and make sure the Altria-only genre restriction gets repealed.

？！

My name's CnocI mean, Yaraändoo, not Committee Head. Just call me that, would you?

Wooo! Tonight we're drinking ALL the booze! All of it!

Now that Yaraändoo's given her seal of approval, we can finally look forward to the Servant Summer Festival tomorrow like it was meant to

Hey, there's still some A.P. Pounds here! Grab 'em so we can buy the merch!

Don't blame us! It's their fault for making this merch limited edition!

You got a lot more guts than brains or manners, don't you!? Breaking into Ms. Beni's Chunchun-tei like this...

So, how do you wanna die? I'll even be nice and let you keep your favorite body part. So which is it? Huh?

Please, you've got us all wrong. We didn't mean any harm. We just desperately needed A.P. Pounds...

Yeah, they have a word for that. Theft. Maybe you didn't mean any harm, but we're still gonna kill you, okay?

No, you don't understand. We've still got money in the bank!

But we can't withdraw any of it! There's no paper money left anywhere in Hawaltria!

The Tezcatli Corporation opened a booth this morning and started selling limited edition Poca-brand merchandise...

...and now, they've got the entire contents of every last ServantFes attendee's wallet!

Huh?

No way! MORE new limited edition merch!? They're literally putting out the hottest things every ten minutes!

They're all so well-made, and super expensive! But that's what's so great about them! We've never spent so much money in one place before!

But what're we gonna do!? All the ATMs have shut down, and even the bank doesn't have any bills left!

That's it! The stores! Go for the stores! Especially restaurants! They've gotta have cash!

It's okay! We're not stealing! We're just borrowing!

We've got the money! It's just not cash!

？！

Yikes! Look, behind the register! They actually built an Aztec temple out of bills!

How did this happen!? Who only takes cash in this day and age!?

A: "It glows! It growls! Mini Excalibur DX" B: "P-38 TH that never misses, even when fired blind!"

C: "1/17 Scale Master Doll" D: "Campfire Set for Sleepless NightsComes with free sugar skull!"

E: "Grown-Up Spirit Origin Transformation Shroom. For the girl who will never see her future self." F: "1/30 Tiger Tank Bunny Model 1999Motorcycle included!"

Daaamn, that all sounds so lame...but I also want all of it! There's gotta be, like, something addictive in the mix here!

What're the prices for C and E!? Tell me the prices for C and E!

Hm? What are you doing here? End of the line's a hundred meters back. No cutting!

More importantly, are you carrying A.P. Pounds? No cards or payment apps allowed here.

I'm willing to trade numbers for info, but I only deal in cash for physical goods.

If you don't have any money, then I'll have to ask you to leave. Too bad. Everything you see here is only available today.

A-are you just completely heartless!? I swear, you're a genius at targeting people's weaknesses!

Oho, thanks. I'll have to remember that one. All right, if you want these so badly, I'm willing to deal with you a bit.

How about one physical item for another? I know a good organ dealer who can get you set up.

So you're just straight-up mafia now!?

That's enough, scoundrel! Anyone who would prey on an innocent girl deserves a thorough trouncing!

The time has come to pay for your crimes, Tezcatli Corporation!

(I was just going to have her work in my barbecue chicken booth, since it's really short-staffed...)

Fine. This is a good opportunity to show off my organization's military strength, and you're certainly worthy opponents.

All right. Show me what you got, youngsters. I'll show you how experience trumps youth.

Your thriving business ends here, Tezcatli Corporation.

With your head of marketing fallen, I doubt you have any more sneaky sales tactics to employ.

That so? I've still got a hundred more marketing heads where that one came from, but fine.

More importantly, what'd I even do wrong? My business complies with all relevant regulations.

？！

Exactly. This fiesta ends today. I'll make sure of that.

Doesn't matter how hard you all fight. It's a foregone conclusion.

This whole island comes to an end during tomorrow's fiesta. Period.

...That can't be right. We dealt with all three calamities.

There is nothing left to threaten this island. Why should we believe you?

All three calamities, huh... Fine. I'll give you a special freebie.

For just a few minutes, I'll show you what's going to happen at this time tomorrow.

■■■■ them! ■■■■ them! It doesn't matter if they're good or bad!

■■■■ anyone who gets in our way! ■■■■ anyone who isn't one of us!

■■■■ anyone who betrays us, friend or foe! ■■■■ anyone who thinks differently from us, friend or foe!

■■■■ them! ■■■■ them! Dox them! Dox them!

Freedom! That is our freedom! This is the future we've always dreamed of!

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

Your actions have determined this island's future.

The ServantFes Normalization Committee is dissolved with immediate effect, and the Third Calamity will take its place.

We have done all we could to prevent this outcome, but our efforts were insufficient. We apologize.

All right, Committee Head Cnoc na Riabh Yaraändoo.

Enough holding back. Please begin the real reset.

？！

That's what'll happen tomorrow. If this keeps up, the whole island will go up in flames.

But I'm going to end things before that happens by killing all the attendees' (...).

(...It was hard to hear, but he just whispered "wallets.")

Ugh, I hate being so smart! That was, like, totes real just now!

So like, the light that's been resetting the island, and the monster that's gonna destroy it tomorrow...

...that's really you, Yaraändoo!?

...way. No way. No way...

This can't be right. I'd never do anything like that!

Besides... Oh, I know! Altria! You were there with me during the last reset.

So you must've known what I really was.

But you never said anything. You even looked after me when I woke up on the beach.

So I figured I didn't have anything to do with the resets...

Why!? Why didn't you say anything, Altria!?

You must have known I was the source of these resetsthe real Third Calamity, ever since then!

...Because...you're Yaraändoo.

I...I thought, if you didn't know, you could keep being Yaraändoo.

THAT'S your reason!? How could youGhh! Ah... Ahh... Aaaahhh!

Cnoc na Riabh!?

Everyone, get out of here!

That's the monster we saw in that vision of the future! We can't hope to defeat it without a plan!

Welp. Thought this was a good idea, but I guess it wasn't. I should've started selling a dayno, half a day sooner.

I don't have any way to get out of this. What comes next depends on all of you.

That being said, I'd feel bad about bailing and leaving you to deal with all this destruction on your own...

...so the least I can do is tell you their names.

The First Calamity is firea crystallization of the claws we call "instinct."

It's born from fads, trends, and human activity. It brings festivals to a halt by draining resources.

The Second Calamity is the oceana crystallization of the mouth we call "intelligence."

It's born from technology, elitism, and the spirit of inquiry. It brings festivals to a halt with bad weather.

And finally...

The Third Calamity is discorda crystallization of the tears born of emotion.

It sets festivals ablaze with all manner of conflicts, quarrels, and prejudices.

Its name is Ceasunnos. It's the widest-reaching curse humans create, and the one they're most intimately familiar with.