Brewing Developments/Story

Boiling Over!

Main article: Boiling Over!

Quest Description

You and Paimon meet a certain strange student by the Wall of Samiel to the southwest of the rainforest. She seems to have reason to remember the two of you...

(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Hajanad, optional): Hajanad: (Controlling the stability rating of the shock-boiling effect takes top priority. The timing for automatic activation shouldn't be a problem...)

(Talk to Hajanad)

Hajanad: Hehe... Haha... Ahahahaha! It is a success!

Hajanad: Now I just need to hire a mercenary band and conduct a pilot deployment, with a goal to achieve basic operational capacity within ten days.

Hajanad: Once I get the frontline reports, I'll be able to convince my mentor to give me a higher budget, with which I can prove to the Akademiya that this is the alchemical potion's strongest form!

Paimon: What's going on, why's there someone laughing herself silly in the desert's direction?

Paimon: And what's with all the talk about mercenaries and operational capacity... This person sounds like some kinda battle maniac!

Paimon: What do we do, (‍‍)? Should we, uh, get away for a bit?

No, no, I'm interested. Let's see where this situation goes.

Paimon: Eh? Oh, right. Paimon forgot that you're a combat expert yourself...

Paimon: Speaking of which, it does tend to be that whenever you get along with someone, they'll almost certainly be willing to purchase our services.

Paimon: As long as this person doesn't plan on doing any bad things, and the Mora is good, we can definitely consider helping out!

Hajanad: Hmm? Are you talking about me behind my—

Hajanad: Ah! It's... It's you! The golden-haired outlander and their White High-Intelligence Floating Assistive Unit!

Paimon: Huh? You know us? Paimon doesn't remember having this nickname, though!

You have us at a disadvantage, Miss...

Hajanad: Ah, so you've forgotten me. But I understand. I am but a normal plebeian, while you — you are living legends!

Hajanad: A long time back, you aided my experiments with my great creation, the Remelting Tablets — alchemical potions designed to aid people in combat.

Hajanad: That research went very smoothly indeed. You enjoyed hearty battles, and I drew much useful data and inspiration from said battles.

Hajanad: It would not be wrong to say that you changed my life — and for that, I have always been thankful! The results of my research have also been of aid to some members of the Corps of Thirty in their work regarding Sumeru's security...

Paimon: Seriously? Did we really do that? Huh, we should remember that in future, then.

Paimon: Speaking of that, you were saying something about combat and potions earlier, weren't you?

Paimon: Will you need our help this time as well?

Hajanad: Well, why not? With you two around, I shan't have to rub shoulders with those sellswords.

Hajanad: To tell the truth, I was worried that they might fleece me... or even rob me!

Wait a moment. She looks rather familiar.

Paimon: Huh. You're right. She does look pretty familiar.

Paimon: Ooh, Paimon remembers! We met this person on a cliffside in the rainforest! What was her name again...

The Alchemical Teamaster.

Paimon: Huh. Paimon remembers that she was a pretty serious-minded alchemist. Not someone who would use her cauldron for anything other than research... Wait a minute, her name was Hajanad!

The Master Alchemical Exploder.

Paimon: Hey, that sounds like something Paimon would say instead! Pretty sure her name was... Hajanad! It was Hajanad!

Hajanad: Hmm? Are you talking about me behind my—

Hajanad: Could... Could it be you? The golden-haired outlander and their White High-Intelligence Floating Assistive Unit?

Paimon: Well, we weren't expecting to meet like this either. How've you been, Hajanad?

Hajanad: Good! Never been better, really!

Hajanad: Thanks to you, I was able to use my Remelting Tablet research data to write an essay that proved its excellence. Even the Corps of Thirty expressed a certain amount of interest.

Hajanad: As it turns out, my original mentor wasn't taking me seriously at all, even though he wasn't a big deal himself. The reviews I got for my essay eclipsed him and all his students, and so I was able to be rid of him in one go!

Hajanad: My new mentor very much thinks my research has potential, and helped me set up a specialization with a rather decent budget...

Hajanad: Ah yes. If the two of you have some time, could you help me once again?

Hajanad: If you were to help me complete the verification process for my Shock-Boiled Brews, I'd be willing to give you the part of my budget I set aside for this exactly. It would also serve as further thanks for your help.

Hajanad: Mora worth fifty peoples' salaries. Not bad for remuneration, yes?

Paimon: Fifty peoples' worth of Mora!? Doesn't that mean that we'll be set for... a long while once we do a single day of work?

Paimon: Sounds like a great deal, (‍‍)! We don't come by something like this often!

Looks like a good opportunity. Let's do it.

Let's hear it for the Shock-Boiled Brews, then.

Hajanad: Haha! As decisive as ever! Well then, let's get to business.

Hajanad: I discovered a temperature-related weakness in the Remelting Tablets I was testing in the Great Red Sand. In high-heat conditions, the explosion of the remelting tablets would not achieve its desired effect.

Hajanad: As such, I dissolved some potions in stable liquid solutions and stored them separately from the tablets, which have higher melting points. When using them, I mixed the two together and pressurized the container.

Hajanad: Having the tablets explode within the liquid medium produces a shock-boiling effect with higher efficacy and greater stability, and so the new device was named the "Shock-Boiling Device."

Hajanad: You could sit in front of a Flaming Flower for an entire day, and you would still be able to use potions to aid you in battle. It's a huge leap in the reliability of the device!

Hajanad: I even added periodic activation and recording functions to the device. In battle, it will activate in an automatic, reactive manner, and record combat data to boot. It's now incredibly easy to use!

Paimon: Uh... So, we just need to use this super convenient support device to beat some monsters up, right?

Hajanad: Exactly!

Paimon: You really are serious about your work, Hajanad. You've explained this in so much detail that even as unfamiliar as Paimon is with this stuff, she thinks she's kinda got it!

Paimon: A less good-tempered researcher might have just said "fixed some known issue" just to dodge having to give that explanation!

Well, it can activate automatically and make records...

We don't really need to understand the fine details behind how it works...

Paimon: Alright then. Then let's do as we did before and help Hajanad test her device's effects out.

Paimon: We're in familiar territory — a few simple fights are all that separate us and a nice sum of Mora, and we can help Hajanad too! Everyone wins!

Hajanad: Haha, talk about effective communication! I knew I'd much enjoy working with you two over those mercenaries!

Hajanad: I've already prepared our test site — it's a Domain not far from here. Just take the device and help perform the tests, please!

Hajanad: I'll be here waiting for your feedback!

An Abundant Estimation

Main article: An Abundant Estimation

Quest Description

The testing on the Shock-Boiled Brews is progressing smoothly. It is time to report back to Hajanad...

(On login): Paimon: Hehe! We've been testing the Shock-Boiling Device this whole time. Paimon thinks we've gathered enough data.; Paimon: Let's go look for Hajanad and tell her about our user experience!

(Use Nahida's All Schemes to Know on Hajanad, optional): Hajanad: (Could... Could it be you? The golden-haired outlander and their White High-Intelligence Floating Assistive Unit... I've been saved!)

(Talk to Hajanad): Paimon: Hajanad, it was a great success. Wanna hear the good news?; Hajanad: Hold on a moment. Allow me to sense the Shock-Boiling Device you have on you.; Hajanad: Ah, this blazing warmth, this magnetic echo! It is like a chorus of alchemical potions in the flames. Such... such excitement!; Hajanad: Impeccable, I say! Using the data you've provided, I'm sure I'll be able to write the most perfect report!; Paimon: Really? Paimon didn't sense anything.; Hajanad: "White High-Intelligence Floating Assistive Unit," you should read a few... books of late-night Akademiya quotations. It will help enhance your linguistic variety!; Hajanad: That way, you will be able to understand many intricate analogies, and both your humor and resistance to stress will increase manifold.; Paimon: Nah, Paimon doesn't get what you're saying, and there's no stress anyway. Besides, (‍Traveler‍)'s not the type to make Paimon do any strange experiments!; Paimon: Anyway, don't change the subject. We've performed the experiment as we agreed...; Paimon: ...So now it's payday!; Hajanad: You'll have it, you'll have it! Come on, don't you trust me?; Paimon: Eh? This is fifty people's salary? This... kinda feels different from what Paimon expected.; Paimon: Err, not that it's too little or anything...; But I wouldn't call that "a large sum of Mora."; There is some discrepancy here, I must confess.; Hajanad: Eh? Did the Mora I saved over this half a year not pack enough of a punch for you?; Hajanad: Did I underestimate the price that mercenaries can fetch? The daily wage I planned for them was the same as the daily allowance my mentor gave me, though!; Hajanad: My new mentor's very generous, too! Now that I'm under her, I can have one Shawarma Wrap every day and still have funds left over!; Hajanad: If I bought a bag of flour and picked some Zaytun Peaches outdoors, then grabbed several buckets of river water to cook them into paste, I could even live for two weeks on a single day's funds!; Hajanad: Then, the leftover funds can be diverted back into Shock-Boiled Brew research. And that's how I came up with my estimate for mercenary pay!; Your dietary demands are very... modest.; Your views on standards of living are very... precarious.; Paimon: Hajanad... How have you even survived up till now? You're practically punishing yourself, the way you live!; Paimon: You at least need to eat your fill of Shawarma Wrap to call it a "big meal"! If you only eat paste every day, you'll definitely ruin your health!; Hajanad: I know, I know... I already live very well, you know? Some students need to fork out Mora to finish their studies. I was like that before — now that really was "not having any time to think about food."; Hajanad: Now that I have a stipend approved by my mentor, I can eat my fill every day. I consider myself most fortunate, really!; You didn't get it...; Paimon: Paimon's got it! We'll treat you to an awesome meal. That'll show you what real standards are — not this "just getting by" stuff!; Hajanad: No, I couldn't! The commissioned treating the commissioner? To me, that would never do! Thanks for your concern, but there's no need to worry.; Hajanad: As long as I continue to make progress and prove my ability, I will definitely make it someday! Constantly thinking of feasting and drinking is not something I should be doing at this stage.; Hajanad: Now then, time's a-wasting. I'm going back to write my report!; Paimon: Well, then you could also take some fruits and vegetables from us to make up the difference! We often find Sunsettias and Cabbages, so we've definitely got lots to spare in our bag!; Hajanad: Hehehe... Hahahah... Ahahahah! I can already see my mentor's jaw going slack at the sight of these discoveries!

Paimon's words may as well be wind between Hajanad's ears. Laughing giddily, she stumbles away...

Paimon: And there she goes...

Paimon: Paimon keeps getting the feeling that if she keeps going on like this, she's going to collapse from malnutrition at some point.

Her mentor should notice, I hope.

Let's hope this research maniac doesn't collapse too easily.

Paimon: Yeah. From how Hajanad put it, her mentor does really value her.

Paimon: Well, guess we can only hope that she finishes her research smoothly and secures more funds, so she can live an ordinary life...

Paimon: Maybe we'll meet again. Who knows? Maybe we'll get more rewards and less worry about her eating habits next time!