Festa's Story

What do you think? It's a great day for some busking, isn't it?

I don't mind as long as I can convey my music—my rock spirit—to others.

Don't judge the entire population based on a few individuals!

As long as someone out there, even if it's just one soul who understands my art, I'm okay with it.

Hmph, you sound just like those uncultured elves, Master.

Listen up. The thing about rock spirit is that... it's gotta be free.

You can't just confine it to a stage! That's not what rock is about!

Rock is about being free! Wild horses can't be fettered to ranches! Understand?

Huh? What are you talking about?

I-I change my setlist all the time!

Because g-guitars can produce all types of sounds!

It represents a free spirit! It's a genre-free instrument!

Y-You don't know jack about rock spirit, Master! You're just a cog in a machine!

Ugh... Urgh...

It can't be helped! None of them has a clue as to what real rock is.

All those tunes that are pleasant on the ear... they are all fake!

Real music is made with heart... Yes, you gotta scrape the bottom of your soul for it!

I-It's just a figure of speech!

You lack imagination despite being the Master.

I have a vast soul, you see. I can't help but wander the world.

Master... Ever heard the sound a guitar makes when you bash it over someone's head?

I imagine it'd make an interesting sound. Maybe I'll use it in a new song, yeah?

All riiiight! I've never felt so exhilarated! Rock 'n' roll!

Let's keep the show on the road! Go, go, Rollin' Truck!

You there! The noisy truck in front! Stop the show immediately!

Eek! Amelia? Why is she leading a crackdown?

I repeat! Stop the show immediately and turn off your engine!

If you don't comply, I will launch Mayor Elena's special capture missiles!

Ugh, the government lapdog is on me...!

Festa, do you even realize how many times you've been busted now?

I dunno. Five times?

Seven! Just in this month alone!

Your driver's license is suspended as of today. Now, please. Control yourself.

Every time you do something, we're inundated with complaints that it cripples the system.

You know, I'm the one who'd like to file a complaint.

You guys are always on my back.

Is it so wrong to follow my heart and sing what I want?

Speeding, unlawful vehicle modifications, unlawful road encroachment, and violation of noise ordinances.

These are just some of the offenses you've committed. Shall I continue?

Stop being so uptight...

You can't suppress rock like that. Rock isn't bound by any rules.

Sigh... You never change, do you?

Can't you just, like, play normal music that the public likes?

That way, no one will complain.

Hah, "normal music"? What do you mean by that?

Oh, you mean something like this?

...I didn't know you could play a normal song, Festa.

It was brief, but it reminded me of my time on our elven planet. What a surprise.

Hmph, quit it with the home planet stuff! Boring!

Now this... is real music!

Argh! My ears...!

Wh-What in the world is this? Can you really call this music?!

It's called Monatium Recycling Center Scratching. A genre created by yours truly.

It just sounds like werebeasts sharpening their claws!

Rock is limitless!

Do you get it now, you pigheaded bureaucrat? Normalcy is just an illusion!

What's considered "normal" changes with time and circumstances.

And such boring stuff like that... That isn't for me!

Ugh, don't you try to slip away in the confusion...!

Hahaha, you just sit there and stay behind the changing times, Amelia!

I'll be catapulting myself to the future, to the world of liberating rock!

And I'll take the truck too, ciao!

Let's go! Tonight, the show must go on!

Ahh... I let her get away right before my very eyes...!

This won't do... I'll have to confiscate that guitar! I'll need a mayoral decree or something...!!

I'll get you, Festa, just you wait and see...!

Hmm? The streets are busier than usual. What's going on?

...These strange sounds. This must be Festa again.

Yes, it's Festa, alright. And... that's... huh...?

Owoo! Owoo!

...Tig? What's a werebeast doing in Monatium?

Yo, Tig! I'm liking the vibe! I'm gonna pick up the pace. Think you can keep up?

You talk big for a flop! Who do you think you're talking to? I'm always up for a challenge!

Alrighty, then here we go! To the ends of Elias!

Owooow!

I've got goosebumps all over!

This song makes my heart pound!

Songs like this shouldn't be free. Shut up and take my money!

What the...? When did this pairing happen...?

That was another great performance. It was great.

Hmph, of course it was. You performed with me, after all.

Festa! Since when did you pair up with a werebeast?

Who's that? You know this elf?

Yeah. She's a nosy pain in the neck.

A pain in the neck?! That's because you always cause nothing but trouble!

So, just what is going on? A joint performance with a werebeast in Monatium?

Well. I was playing the guitar with Tig in the woods.

Then all of a sudden, she started howling. I was stunned.

But then it turned out her howling wasn't so bad, actually.

Huh? You mean the way she goes "owooo"?

Yeah! I got tingles running up my tail!

This flop... she had been hiding some decent skills.

How dare you. My rock spirit is still alive and well.

Yeah, yeah... And?

You're so... Anyway, the rest is pretty obvious.

I don't shy away from a challenge! We just battled it out with our music until we were knackered!

Mhmm, it was a good battle.

Jamming together made me think of all kinds of songs we could play together. Ah, it was a good day.

And that's why you're busking together?

Rock is all about breaking boundaries, you see.

Haha, it's all good as long as I can run around howling with excitement!

These two click in such an odd way... A good team made of two boneheads...

Hehe, hey, rocker flop! That was another fun gig! I'll head out first!

Yeah! Come back anytime! I'll be waiting!

Huh? Tig is leaving? Just like that?

Yeah, she's always like that. She's one cool, fun, rockin' girl.

I should start packing it in, too.

How do you share your earnings? It looked like you made quite a bit.

Well... I guess you could say we have a "whoever needs it, takes it" kind of thing.

...Festa. Werebeasts don't use currency, do they?

Well... Umm... Yeah...

...What a cheat. You aren't rockin' at all, Festa.

Ahem. Ahehem...!

Aaaaahh!! Gimmie anarchy!!

No, think about it, Master. Wouldn't it be nice to have a little bit of anarchy?

Isn't it obvious? I'm talking about anarchism. You know, no government!

I'm talking about removing concepts like nations or society.

Why not? Society itself is formed out of agreement between its members.

In other words, it can also be disbanded if the members want to.

That's because you're the Master. You're in power, after all. You've become narrow-minded.

Don't overthink it. Let's take an example.

Imagine if a nation on Elias got dissolved. What would happen, then?

Exactly! We'd be reclaiming our freedom from that cold-blooded, heartless, invention-obsessed dictator!

Elves who didn't realize they were being oppressed would begin to think about their lives.

It would be the dawn of a mature era, where each and every elf would take responsibility for their own lives!

Exactly!

Corrupt powers only control citizens without contributing anything.

Fighting against such unjust authority is exactly what we should be doing!

It may be challenging, but that's exactly why it's meaningful. That's what ideals are.

*Sigh* You're so naive, Master.

Think about it. If I achieved anarchy in my own way, can you really call that anarchy?

No, that's not anarchy! That's just authority under the name of "Festa-ism"!

This isn't just likely. It's the reality.

That's why I can't just achieve anarchy on my own terms.

Hehe, I've got a plan for that.

If I can't achieve anarchy on my own...

I can just slip into one brought by someone else!

Don't you want anarchy, Master?

Tsk, the Order is so rigid. How narrow-minded.

Aaaaahh!! Please, gimmie anarchy!!

I wanna be a free spirit in an anarchy brought by someone else!

...And that's why you need a better understanding of the concept of freedom.

See, you're the Master of the Yggdrasil Order.

And we all know every religion seeks spiritual freedom.

Deep down, I'm sure you understand too, Master.

That what everyone truly needs is freedom from authority.

And what is true freedom, you ask? Why, it's rock, obviously.

So from now on, let's sing rock songs for the hymns of the Yggdrasil Order.

Oh, Master. You really shouldn't encourage Festa when you talk with her.

She just thinks she's having a proper conversation as long as she's not interrupted.

She'll just keep making trouble if you keep indulging her nonsense.

Hmph, to think a spy dares to call me a troublemaker. It's not like I always lived a carefree life.

You sit around all day talking about freedom and anarchy. Are you sure about that?

I wasn't "sitting around". I was just finding inspiration.

You wouldn't understand, since all you do is blindly follow authority without question.

*Sigh* She always says the same thing.

Oh well, an artist who only makes noise is still an artist. Creative, I guess.

You don't even understand my musical vision.

Hmph...

Festa, do you really think of yourself as an artist?

Then can you create and sing a song like "Silent Moon" once did?

Oh, Master. Of course not.

Silent Moon is a legendary singer-songwriter among the elves.

Because her songs were so beautiful and emotional, like a night with a gorgeous, calm moon.

Both on Earth and here on Elias, we found comfort in Silent Moon's songs.

Her songs... They helped us get through the tough times.

Unfortunately, that's not possible. Silent Moon has since disappeared.

It's been years since anyone has heard anything. That's why she's a legend.

Festa, can you give us the same inspiration, the same hope, that Silent Moon did?

...It's all fake.

Silent Moon is just a sham with a cool-sounding name.

It's all meaningless. You call those phony songs comforting? Hah, of course you do.

Silent Moon is a fraud, singing what others want to hear and nothing else.

You can't call that art... You just can't. It's all worthless trash.

Hmph...!

Uh, Festa? Where are you going?

I thought she was going to yell, but I've never seen her so quietly angry.

Hmm... she's definitely got some secret she can't talk about.

There's no reason to be this upset, otherwise.

There must be some connection between Festa and Silent Moon.

How suspicious...

Master! I found it out! I finally did!

I, Rohne the greatest spy, have uncovered Festa's secret!

Ah, sorry! I got too excited...!

I dug up all the records about Festa, from the oldest to the most recent. I didn't miss a single detail!

Well, it turns out... Festa has a hidden past!

Did you know she used to make perfectly normal songs back in the day?

Apparently, she used a stage name during that time.

It was Silent Moon! Festa was Silent Moon!

The royalties for Silent Moon's songs have been going straight to Festa!

Who knows? There's no point in guessing. Let's just ask her directly.

Sigh... I don't feel like it, but I can't skip out on busking...

Wha-?!

You got the name all wrong, Master!

I-I'm Festa! I don't know anything about Silent Moon!

Heh, deny it all you want, but it's too late. I'm an elite spy. Nothing is impossible!

If you're not Silent Moon, how come you're receiving all those massive royalties from her songs?

Uh oh! So you figured that out!

Of course! She's the legend among legends! Enough money to fill a swimming pool!

S-Stop! Don't call me Silent Moon!

Silent Moon is dead! She's gone!

But she's right there beside us and here in our heart. She lives on as a part of us.

Don't let her live on! Shake her off from your mind!

Ugh... I was young back then. I didn't know any better...

I didn't even know what art meant. I just did what others liked...

No! That's not what art is supposed to be!

An artist shouldn't be swayed by others! They must have a vision!

Those days are my dark past... that's why I buried it... ugh...!

No, no! I'm Festa!

I'm a free soul, not bound by anything! I'm an artist with rock spirit!

Aaaah!!!

Ah, she got away in her sports car!

No rule can bind me! No license? I don't care!