Esper Story: Jiang Jiuli

Thank you for choosing us. Here are your room cards. The elevator is in the hallway to your left.

Enjoy your stay!

Please accept these also. I almost forgot!

The Harvest God richly bless you!

Today's the harvest festival, right?

Yes. Do you know much about our festival?

No, what's that?

There's that annual wheat harvest, right? Takes place on the third Saturday after the autumn equinox.

It's also a "harvest festival" for us in Nielheim.

We also use wheat bouquets for the Harvest God.

...And give them to friends and family to wish for happiness and good health.

Oh, wow. Interesting. Looks like modern society isn't so modern after all. Lots of superstition out there.

It's not my field of research, but it'd be really interesting to study.

......

Typical Nicole...

You seem to know a lot about our festival, sir!

Of course, I'm from Nielheim!

Oh, wonderful. Will you be attending our bonfire party tonight?

We've had such a good harvest this year. We've bought a lot of fireworks to celebrate!

It'll be our biggest celebration for quite some time!

A "bonfire party"? Oh man. Reminds me of the good old days...

I almost forgot... We also have a circus in town. It comes very infrequently, so I'd recommend visit.

Oh! And Nielheim snacks! We have plenty of Nielheim snacks. But, of course, feel free to try anything and everything!

......

Nicole, I'm exhausted. I'm off to my room for a rest.

Oh, I do apologize! I was a little overexcited, clearly. Please, enjoy your stay!

I'm actually interested now. So when and where is this bonfire party?

Tell me everything. I'm all ears.

My pleasure!

I thought you said you were going to rest? It's getting late.

Is the party too loud for you?

......

I can tell you want to go. What's keeping you?

I don't belong there...

It's too loud and... too crazy. But, worst of all... it's too much like home.

This is the happiest day of the year for many people in Nielheim.

A good harvest represents exactly what we need after a hard year's work.

Things would be very different if the Miracles weren't here.

Yeah, well... If only the Miracles weren't here...

Then I would be out there celebrating with my wife and daughter.

You know, my daughter loved riding on my shoulders.

Heh... When she saw something she wanted, she'd pull my hair in that direction like I was her horse!

That's something I'm yet to experience. I wouldn't say I hate the Miracles, though. I guess they gave me... a fresh start.

They brought freedom to me... freedom from my parents and sister. I was suffocating... All the pressure, it was killing me.

Ironic, right? How different Miracles have been to everyone...

...They've been very different for us, you and I.

...It's a bit late for a deep and meaningful conversation, but who am I kidding? I can't sleep anyway...

How about we crash the bonfire party? What does it matter? Neither of us can really rest anyway.

It's not for me. The fireworks will just give... me a headache.

Come on, Jiuli. I'll be totally clueless out there in Nielheim without my guide.

Besides, as long as I'm with you, you don't need to worry about... anything untoward.

Or you think I can't handle you?

Ha! You can handle me just fine. You're my valued colleague, after all. And the most capable of our researchers.

Then what are we waiting for? Let's go now! Before all the tourists eat the good stuff!

But...

Oh no...

Oh yes!

I did this?

Yep! All you!

Yo, Maestro! I've been waiting for you!

*Sigh*... I'm not a "maestro".

Yes you are! You were incredible with that "guqin" at our end-of-year party! Amazing!

The night's best performance if you ask me. It was like you were born to play it!

So do you know a lot about the guqin?

Of course, the music industry's been embracing eastern instruments for a while now.

The "guqin", "guzheng", "erhu", and the "pipa", I've read up on all of them. Didn't expect to see you perform on one, and how!

...Thanks.

I've also been trying to add classical eastern instruments into my drum routine.

Good idea...

Well, it's all thanks to you!

...I just knew I had to get you for my band. You know. Since I saw that performance.

Uh, you have a band? Oh. Well, I'm not sure that's for me...

Come on! Your guqin is our missing ingredient! It'd be perfect with my drums. The audience'll love it!

Look, I said I'm not sure.

But you've just gotta! I've been hoping to work with you for so long!

Hey, uh, listen...

Please, just please! I promise it'll hardly take up any of your time.

This is my dream, Maestro! Can you help me? Please?

*Sigh*... I'm... Gosh. I don't know. To be honest, I'm not feeling too good. I just can't do it right now, those kinds of noisy places.

Relax! I know all about your "condition". It's all gonna be part of the spectacle. Gotta have tension to have spectacle, right?

Don't worry, I know about your... condition. Believe me, everything in my rehearsal room can be replaceable at a moment's notice.

Don't you want to put yourself out there on the stage? Unleash your true potential in front of adoring fans? Show people what you've got?

Unleash my true potential....?

I'll take that as a yes! Let me introduce you to the band, Maestro!

Sorry. I'll pay for that.

Just contact one of my assistants. They'll handle the finances. They've got some experience.

So how was I on the drums?

Hm?

How did I sound? You went nuts when I started my riff.

Must have hit a nerve! Tell me what you think. Honestly

Good rhythm. Uh, punchy.

I may have lost my cool but I was still enjoying it.

Really?! You just made my day!!!

What is the world coming to...

What about the mess?

Don't worry, I'll take care of it. I did push you and prod you to join my band, after all.

I simply can't let you pay for it.

I'll get everything in order for our next rehearsal. It won't be like this in our next rehearsal.

Our next rehearsal? You want to keep going?

Of course! I'm serious about playing in the best band in the world!

Music is my life!

But all these broken instruments...

No biggie. I've broken enough drum sets to fill an auditorium.

So don't worry about it! Just focus on the music!

I don't know if you're just humoring me or if you're really serious? You seriously don't have a problem with my "condition"...?

No, not at all! You think you're some hulking menace. That everyone needs to tiptoe on eggshells around you. But that's simply not true.

Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I can take care of myself.

I know! I'm actually... very impressed, you know.

Jeanne, come to think of it, I actually do want to join your band.

Sweet!

Nicole!

Your 132nd warning. Do NOT interrupt me while I'm doing an experiment!

If you must enter my lab, and I stress "must"knock first! THEN wait for a reply.

Ah, sorry. I will definitely do that from now on.

...Take a look at this! It's a meditation class!

It says meditation is "highly effective" when it comes to "controlling mood swings".

Well, yes. Research has shown meditation facilitates mood stabilization. You ought to give it a shot perhaps.

Did you want to attend the course with me?

Not interested, sorry.

Come on! You're not open to it at all?!

I just don't have time. My lab work is extremely laborious already.

...Worse, the limited time I get to complete my many, many tasks is often spent on entertaining uninvited guests instead.

I'm afraid of what might happen if you don't come with me. I could.... lose control.

Not my concern.

*Sigh*... Are we done? I need to focus right now.

Think about it like this: if these classes really can help me control my emotions...

...Then I won't be so reliant on you.

It'll be a win-win, more time for you, more time for your work.

Well, you're not wrong.

Also, meditation can't just be good for me. Supposedly, according to this flyer...

It can help anyone. It can help you with your "focus".

Handy, wouldn't you say?

I don't know about that...

How about this: if you attend with me, I'll help you with your next project. For free!

Tempting...

But I don't need your help. With anything. I just need you to not come in here every five minutes.

Just stop distracting me. Then I can finish my work on time.

*Sigh*... Come to think of it, I can see how the class might help.

Very logical of you.

Ohhh... ouch... that hurts...

Ahhh. I'm hitting my limit here...

Obviously.

Looks easy for you.

Focus on your breathing. It helps to alleviate the pain.

I just can't do it. I keep cramping up. It's so darned painful.

...You just need to relax. Breathe. It's just a basic cross-legged position...

You just don't feel the pain like I do. My back is killing me.

Hahaha... at least you have a sense of humor about it.

You can always give up, you know. You've got to train your mind to focus. Doesn't come naturally.

Sure.

I'm not giving up!

*Sigh*...

Is that what I think it is...?

ZZZzzz...

Jiuli?! Are you asleep?!

*Snoring*...

Excuse me? Over there. Please keep it down. It'll disrupt the others.

???

Ugh... Why did I give up my cozy lab to come here and torture myself?

What's going on with my salary?

I only got a few hundred e-coins this month. What kind of outfit you running here?!

You better make this right! Or I don't like your chances walking out of here...

Please... J-just put me down. I... I can't breathe...

Hmph...

Thank you.

*Sigh*... Hold on. Just let me clarify something... you didn't just get a few hundred e-coins.

That so?

You actually got... 69.42069 e-coins. The decimal...

???

Uh... second, can you please just have a look at these bills?

What's this?

All the incidents you caused last month and how much it cost to fix them. In chronological order.

13 incidents? And how much in total?

...A few thousand e-coins.

I did that...?

Much more, actually...

What did you just say?

This is just for last month. We haven't calculated the previous months yet.

Some departments have been operating at a net loss ever since you joined. So Decree policy is to let you pay for the damages you cause.

What the heck? I don't remember breaking a lawnmower. I just roughed up the lawn a bit.

You sure I did that?

Please have faith, sir, in our professionalism.

You didn't just "rough up" the lawn. You smashed the lawnmower. And it was brand-new.

I don't remember any lawnmowers.

Presumably because you smashed it to pieces. It took us days to find all the parts scattered through the mud and the grass!

I see... I suppose I must've been triggered by a loud noise...

Maybe that was from the lawnmower...

Precisely. And to discourage any such future incidents...

We've replaced it with a silent model. Of course, that model is significantly more expensive. We had to cover it ourselves.

And this one? During a meeting? What happened?

You were in a meeting, and... they started arguing. It was a bit heated, or so I heard, and there was yelling...

Annoyed, you kicked the door off and smashed it into the desk. Then you yelled at everyone to "calm down."

......

We could've charged you much more. That broke the desk too. However, two of the attendees took responsibility for it.

They covered the new desk.

They didn't mention that to you?

Well... a couple of people did apologize a few days later. They mentioned something about a desk...

I wasn't paying attention... So. I guess that's what they were talking about.

Uh, great. Anything else you wanted to know?

I can go over each incident if you want, in detail.

No, no. That's alright.

I suppose I'm involved in some way.

Eh. Guess I'm going hungry this month...

I really need to do something about my temper. Guy's gotta eat.

Oh, one more thing I forgot.

I'm handling your repair costs and... this month is looking considerably worse.

You must try to control your temper, Mr. Jiang, if I can say so, sir.

What?!

......

......

*Sigh*... Sorry. That one's on me.

*Panting*...

Hey, are you alright?

I'm... losing control...

Okay then. Abort mission! Let's fall back to somewhere else!

Alright...

Woah. That was close... I thought you were about to go berserk.

You held it off a while.

......

What's in your hand?

...A scented sachet.

A "scented sachet"? Wow. Fancy!

Heh! It's not fancy. Just helps me stay calm.

Helps me recover faster.

It can do that?

That's right.

Can I take a look?

Whoa! Devilwood, if I'm not mistaken! It reminds me of my first autumn at HQ.

That aroma helps me relax. I respond to it really well when I'm stressed.

That's how I held it off today.

Didn't take you for such a horticulturalist.

I've got no choice. I need to figure out something for my condition if no one else will.

Also, I've found they really help with mosquitoes and other annoying insects on mission.

Really? So it's a mosquito repellent too?

Yeah. I've mixed in mint, lavender, and lemon eucalyptus as well into the dried devilwood.

They're all mosquito-repellant herbs.

That explains why you never get bitten in the field!

I get bitten everywhere!

Ah. My bad. I should make one for you then. Next time!

Deal! The rehearsal room's always got mosquitos when it gets hot anyway.

An effective "sachet" would be a lifesaver.

Haha. Okay.

By the way, was learning the guqin and this "aromatherapy"...

...About mood control?

Yeah. My instincts don't make it easy sometimes.

Two great hobbies to distract me from my predicament.

I can't imagine how hard it must be for you. I would've probably given up ages ago in your position.

I can tell you one thing, I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

But it's also kinda... cool, in a way. Don't you think?

Pain beyond all comprehension. That means willpower beyond all comprehension too if you can master it. I think there's a reason you're stronger.

You just need to find a way to transcend your suffering. To come to terms with it.

Is that so? Interesting attitude to life, I must say.

Let's team up again. I think you're a pretty cool teammate.

And I want to learn the guqin... and how to cook that incredible potpourri!

You don't think being near an unpredictable hulking menace is bad for your health?

I'm not a fragile little doll. I can take care of myself quite well, thank you.

If it weren't for me, the Miramon would've had you surrounded today. You'd have gone full berserk!

Can't deny that. I didn't mean to...

It's alright. I know what I want. Let's team up.

Don't forget to teach me about aromatherapy.

No problem.