Henry headed toward Good Hunter for lunch, already thinking about food, when he felt a small tug at the side of his coat.
He looked down.
A tiny hand. Big round eyes.
Timmie.
Henry blinked. "...Timmie?"
The boy nodded vigorously. "Mr. Henry! Miss Katheryn said to tell you—someone came to accept your commission! She said you should come as fast as possible!"
Henry crouched slightly. "Quick, or… normal speed?"
Timmie nodded eagerly. "Quick!"
Henry chuckled. "Alright then, messenger. Go tell Katheryn I'm on my way."
He paused, giving Timmie a mock-stern look. "And don't spend the whole day feeding the pigeons."
Timmie nodded quickly, a faint blush on his cheeks. "Y-yes, sir."
He scurried off, glancing back nervously as he went.
Henry watched him go with a soft snort." Nice kid. Really cares about those birds… maybe too much. Kid needs to go to labour cam—I mean, school. He has too much free time on his hands."
"Hmmm… does Mondstadt even have one?"
Henry didn't waste a second. He turned and power-walked along the paved path, his mind was already running through the plan for the shop and the commission waiting at the Adventurers' Guild.
By the time he arrived, a young woman was patiently waiting in front of Katheryn.Tall, composed, posture straight like someone raised in strict discipline. Her fair skin reflected the midday sun softly.
Golden-blonde hair fell over her shoulders in gentle waves. Her coat was lined with fur, practical yet elegant, the kind worn by travelers from Snezhnaya who needed warmth without sacrificing grace.
Even in a crowd, she stood out.
"Her features… they reminded me of Maria Bakalova."
Katheryn greeted him with her ever-steady smile.
"Welcome back, Henry. This is the applicant responding to yesterday's commission. Allow me to introduce her — Alina Morozova."
The woman met his gaze directly, expression polite and confident. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Alina, recently arrived from Snezhnaya. I graduated from the Snezhnayan School of Finance, and after finishing my studies, my father placed me in charge of managing his company's ledgers."
Henry blinked, taking it in. "So Snezhnaya really does have a school of finance, like Liyue has its school of laws. Makes sense… with Northland Bank being the sole bank in Teyvat, they'd need trained employees to manage branches across the regions."
She paused for a moment as if remembering long nights over ink and numbers. "I handled everything—daily records, trade balances, merchant payments, and quarterly summaries. So book keeping isn't new to me."
Her voice carried a calm clarity, no wavering, no shyness — just straightforward professionalism.
Henry nodded. "Experienced with ledgers already? That's perfect. My shop is opening soon, so I need someone dependable to handle accounts."
"I can do that," Alina replied. "I'm looking for work immediately, so your timing was ideal."
Henry turned to Katheryn. "The commission I posted yesterday? It's completed. She accepted the position."
Katheryn smiled. "Excellent. That was fast. The fee for arranging Alina's hire is 100 mora."
Henry handed over the coins. "Of course. And for Mona?"
Katheryn shook her head. "No need. You found her yourself, so no payment is required there."
Henry smiled and inclined his head slightly. "Thank you, Katheryn. I appreciate it."
Henry turned to Alina. "First things first — salary. I'm offering seventy thousand mora per month."
Alina froze. Blinking once. Twice.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes," Henry replied. "The job is important. And I want good employees."
A controlled breath escaped her. "I… accept. Thank you."
Henry continued, "Do you already have lodging arranged?"
Alina shook her head. "Not yet."
"Then stay at my establishment," Henry said without hesitation. "There are spare rooms. You can take one."
Her calm expression softened into real gratitude. "Thank you."
"There's a rent, though," he added. "I pay sixty thousand every month for the whole place. Since you'll live with me, you'll need to cover thirty thousand. But don't worry — I'll deduct it from your salary."
"That's fair," Alina said simply.
As they headed toward the shop, Henry glanced over. "If you don't mind me asking… why come all the way from Snezhnaya? Travel isn't easy."
Alina's face remained composed, but her tone shifted—honest, sharp, direct.
"My father arranged a marriage between me and his friend's son," she said plainly. "I refused. He insisted. So I left."
Henry blinked. "Straightforward."
"I prefer it that way," she said. "I loved him… until he tried to choose my life for me. That, I cannot accept."
Henry nodded quietly.
Then he noticed it — the small Electro Vision hanging at her waist.
"You have a Vision?" he asked.
Alina touched it lightly. "The day I argued with him. I wanted freedom. Enough influence and wealth to never bow to someone else's decisions. The moment I made that choice… it appeared."
Henry smiled. "A Vision holder with finance skills. That's rare."
Alina allowed herself a slight smirk. "I'm multitalented."
Calm. Direct. But just a hint of playfulness.
They reached the establishment. Henry unlocked the door and motioned her up the stairs.
"There are three spare rooms. Choose whichever you like."
Alina walked down the hallway, opened doors one by one, then picked the room beside his.
"This one."
"Good choice," Henry said with a small grin. "Take a moment to settle in. Then I'll show you what we're selling."
Alina nodded, removed her large bag from her virtual space, washed up quickly, and came downstairs.
What she saw made her pause.
Henry stood in the center of the empty shop floor, pulling out strange two-wheeled contraptions seemingly from thin air — one after another.
"You... how are you doing that?" Alina asked, stepping closer, awe in her voice. "Where are they coming from?"
Henry grinned. "I have a system space. Like your Vision's ability to have a storage space,I too have a storage space. I can access it anytime."
"Without a Vision?" she asked, genuinely intrigued. "That's… unusual."
Henry shrugged. "I'm a lucky guy.."
She crouched slightly, inspecting the nearest bike. "And these are?"
"Bicycles. They're going to revolutionize land travel — faster, easier, and convenient.
She examined both sizes. "Two types?"
"Adult and kid versions."
Alina gave an approving nod. "Smart."
Henry took a step back, surveying the shop. The bikes were neatly arranged, each one in its place.
Alina studied them for a moment, then looked up at him. "Everything seems ready."
Henry nodded. "Yes. That should do it for now."
---
Stones stones stones💎
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