Hu Tao's serious demeanor made Venti realize how much this meant to her. He nodded slightly. He had heard Glory's story too. It was a pity that knight still hadn't overcome his inner struggles. Sigh~
"Sister Glory, do you have anything to say?"
"I... I don't have much to say. If I make any mistakes in my work, I hope everyone can bear with me."
Glory's face flushed slightly. She was deeply grateful for Hu Tao's kindness. It was one of the few times in her life she had felt such warmth.
"Sister Glory, you're amazing. Your director believes you'll manage the Mondstadt branch well."
Hu Tao's encouragement made Glory's eyes grow moist. She had never thought she could have a stable job. She had applied for countless positions before, but her vision had always been a barrier. She had been forced to scrape by with odd jobs.
'I will not let Director Hu down. No matter how hard it gets, I will manage this branch well!' Glory silently resolved. And it was this determination that helped Wangsheng quickly establish itself in Mondstadt. Even years later, many Mondstadters would choose Wangsheng for their funeral services.
"Hmm, the second thing isn't a big deal. In a few days, a shipment of coffins will arrive from Liyue, along with some experienced craftsmen to train you. Study hard—if you learn well, your salary will go up."
"R-really? That's great! I was short on Mora for Razor's birthday gift. With the raise, I should have enough."
"You don't, need to go, through all that, trouble."
Bennett was visibly excited. Razor, sitting beside him, stammered in an attempt to stop him. But Bennett wouldn't listen.
Fischl, watching from the side, was a bit surprised. In all her years of friendship with Bennett, he had never given her a gift. She had always assumed he just wasn't the thoughtful type. Now she realized she had been completely wrong.
"A gift from one of my liege's knights—let the one who walks among the living accept it openly."
"Fischl means: Razor, just accept Bennett's gift."
Oz, Fischl's faithful translator, relayed her words and fell silent. He had to admit, in matters of etiquette, Oz was more refined than any gentleman.
Hu Tao watched the scene with a smile. Besides Glory and some basic staff, she had recruited Venti, Bennett, Razor, and Fischl. Razor had practically been a freebie—he joined because Bennett did. Fischl had been lured away from the Adventurers' Guild.
"I really don't understand how these kids have so much energy."
"Director Hu, when is that shipment from the Favonius Cathedral arriving? Give me a specific date. I don't want to keep running back here to check."
Rosaria, the Cathedral's representative, yawned without any pretense. She had spent the night dealing with some "rats" in the shadows and just wanted to grab a drink at Angel's Share. If Sister Victoria hadn't insisted she visit Wangsheng, she would already be enjoying some fine dandelion wine.
"Your director isn't sure either. But since Wangsheng and the Cathedral have signed a contract, what's there to worry about?"
"Hmm, fair point. You Liyue people value contracts as much as Mondstadters value freedom."
Rosaria thought it over and agreed. With a contract signed, what was there to fear? That meant she could leave early. This Director Hu was a good person.
To establish Wangsheng in Mondstadt, Hu Tao had made some concessions. According to the contract, she would provide three hundred high-quality coffins at a low price every three months for a year. In return, the Favonius Cathedral would help promote Wangsheng in Mondstadt and assist Glory for three months to help her adapt to the work.
On the surface, Hu Tao seemed to be taking a loss. But in the long run, she was making a killing. In a place with no foundation, reputation was everything—and reputation took time to build.
But with the Cathedral's help, Wangsheng's name would spread quickly. A good reputation brought customers, and customers meant Wangsheng could take a bite out of Mondstadt's funeral industry.
"Tsk. Leave it to Zhongli to draft a contract like this. Trying to fleece your director, huh? The Cathedral is going to regret this."
Just thinking about the Cathedral made Hu Tao angry. All she had done was sing a few eerie nursery rhymes in Windrise Plaza. Did they really have to drag her to the Cathedral to confess? Was this how you treat an honest person?
The commotion had been loud enough to reach Jean. After learning what had happened, she offered Wangsheng a ten-year tax exemption in Mondstadt. After all, Hu Tao hadn't done anything wrong—and Mondstadt was a land of freedom. Singing adaptations of traditional Liyue songs in Windrise Plaza was perfectly fine.
But that incident had also given Hu Tao a chance to meet with the Cathedral's higher-ups. After she relayed the details to Zhongli, he had drafted the contract and sent it to her.
"Alright, alright. I'll tell Sister Glory about the rest when I remember it. Sister Glory, keep this phone. Fischl lives next door. If anything comes up, just have her message me."
Hu Tao handed Glory a phone, which she had gotten from Albedo. With it, she could stay in touch with Glory at any time. Glory already knew about phones—Hu Tao had explained their function to her before.
"Director Hu, Director Hu! For Zhongli's sake, please give me a phone too! I promise, as soon as I have one, I'll stay at Wangsheng whenever I'm free. I won't go anywhere else."
"Can I? Can I? Can I~"
Venti's cyan eyes sparkled with longing. Ever since he saw Bennett using a phone, he had desperately wanted one. But since it was still in the experimental stage and he wasn't close with Albedo, the alchemist refused to give one to a drunkard like him. If Venti accidentally set it off while drunk, Albedo would become an accomplice to murder.
No matter how much Venti begged, Albedo wouldn't budge. Venti had almost given up hope—until Hu Tao pulled out another one.
"If you want to use it, Venti, you can have it. But only inside Wangsheng~"
Glory smiled gently. Even a blind person like her could feel the phone's appeal, let alone an ordinary person. As long as it stayed within Wangsheng, she didn't mind letting Venti play with it.
"Wonderful! Acting Branch Manager Glory, the Anemo Archon will surely bless you."
"I'm off to chat with the old man!"