"Speaking of which... the Hall Master has been in Mondstadt for quite some time now. I wonder how things are going over there."
At the mention of Hall Master Hu, Zhongli lifted his gaze from the comic.
He smiled faintly and said, "There shouldn't be any major problems. The bard who came earlier was from Mondstadt, he said the dragon calamity there has temporarily subsided. Besides, with you offering your strategies, the business should be foolproof."
"That's true... but what worries me are the Fatui over there."
Su Han sighed softly. The situation in Mondstadt was complicated, internal strife and external threats alike. There was no shortage of talented people, certainly not fewer than in Liyue, but the problem was that no one could unite them into a single force.
Otherwise, choosing to settle there would actually be quite nice.
"The Hall Master is very capable. With Xiangling accompanying her, there shouldn't be any trouble."
"You're right."
Su Han froze for a moment, he had nearly forgotten that Xiangling went along with Guoba. With a demon god by her side, even if the "Lady" herself went there, she'd still suffer for it, not to mention Scaramouche.
At that moment, near the church in Mondstadt, Hu Tao was presiding over a funeral.
To better adapt to local customs, she had deliberately changed from her usual solemn attire into a lively light-green outfit, with even a dandelion tucked into her hat as decoration.
At first, Hu Tao had found such an outfit extremely strange, but after seeing that mourners dressed similarly, she slowly got used to it.
"Play the music."
"Let us bid farewell to this young Mr. Kyle. May the flowers and the free winds forever accompany him."
"May Lord Barbatos send him to the sea of dandelions where there are no worries."
As the gentle melody played and flowers fluttered everywhere, the funeral for a victim of the dragon calamity came to an end. The grieving family quickly came forward and handed over the payment for the service.
"Thank you so much, Miss Hu Tao. My son always loved flowers, being able to rest among them fulfills his final wish."
Seeing the man's gratitude, Hu Tao hurriedly reassured him, "No need to be so polite. Your trust in our Wangsheng Funeral Parlor is already the greatest compliment! And thank you for supporting our business."
Though she said so, Mondstadt's funeral industry was in complete disarray. The local undertaker was a drunkard, and apart from the newly opened Wangsheng branch, there was hardly anyone professional to turn to. Most customers came with low expectations, yet they found Hu Tao's service even more professional than the local's, and at half the cost.
After collecting the fee and saying her farewells, a hint of relief appeared on Hu Tao's face.
This was already her seventh order this week, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's foothold in Mondstadt was finally stable.
If nothing went wrong, she could return to Liyue tomorrow.
Back at the branch, Hu Tao found many people asking about the comics. Interestingly, even though she sold martial arts comics, they were still quite popular in Mondstadt.
"When will new stock arrive?"
"Yeah, I'll pay triple the price if I have to!"
"I'll pay five times more, just give me a copy!"
Facing the barrage of questions, the clerk kept apologizing profusely.
"So sorry, we're restocking right now, the next batch will arrive soon."
So many customers came that he was drenched in sweat.
Seeing this, Hu Tao couldn't help but sigh in amazement.
"Su Han's comics are really something... looks like I'll have to ask him to print more next time."
Even in another nation, his work had such devoted fans, truly impressive.
"Hu Tao? You finished Mr. Kyle's funeral?"
As she was mentally planning her return, a crisp voice called from behind.
Hu Tao turned to see a young girl in red, the only Outrider of the Knights of Favonius, Amber.
Their acquaintance was rather serendipitous. When Hu Tao had first arrived in Mondstadt, she had been at a complete loss. Despite her skills, no one trusted her. (TL/N: Serendipitous means accidental encounter.)
Fortunately, a relative of one of Amber's squadmates had passed away, and they were desperate for someone to conduct the ceremony. During their talk, Amber discovered how professional Hu Tao was, even offering over ten different funeral options. Thanks to her recommendation, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's business had gradually taken off.
And afterward, the two had become friends.
Hu Tao gave Amber a once-over, and when she noticed blood seeping through her sleeve, she immediately asked in concern, "You're hurt?"
Wasn't the dragon calamity supposed to be over? Why was she injured?
Amber covered her arm and replied, "The dragon calamity has quieted down, but the nearby monsters are increasing in number. As a member of the Knights, I have to drive them away. Otherwise, merchants won't dare to travel here, and panic might spread through the city."
"You're right... but as long as you're fine. Oh, by the way, I'm planning to head back tomorrow. It might be a long time before we can meet again."
"So you're leaving already? Then how about I treat you to some carrot-fried steak? I am the host here in Mondstadt, after all!"
"Sure! I love the Hunter's restaurant!"
The two chatted cheerfully, and before long, the topic shifted to Su Han.
"My former consultant, that man has a knack for solving problems. Whenever something goes wrong, he always comes up with ideas no one else would think of. If he were here, Mondstadt's troubles would probably be much easier to solve."
"Huh? He knows about politics too?"
Amber was startled as she ate her lunch. Could someone like that really exist?
Seeing her disbelief, Hu Tao explained, "Of course he does! One time we got him drunk, and he started talking a lot, even about Mondstadt. He said Mondstadt's suffering from internal and external strife, and that it's best not to visit for fun. He said the Knights of Favonius are in chaos, that some of the old nobles are too rigid, making it impossible for new talent to be promoted.
He even said something like, 'Freedom only brings chaos, order is the only true form of freedom.' I don't really understand what that means, though."
Hu Tao spoke casually, but Amber froze mid-bite.
Everything he had said, every flaw of Mondstadt's government, was spot on.
"Did he ever mention how to fix it?" she asked carefully.
Hu Tao shook her head helplessly. "No... he passed out right after that."
"I see."
Amber's eyes dimmed slightly, she had hoped for some kind of solution.
To outsiders, Mondstadt might look peaceful now, but as a Knight, Amber knew all too well, this was merely the calm before the storm.
The monsters' increasing numbers, the citizens' unrest, the dragon calamity's devastation... all these pressures weighed heavily on the Knights of Favonius.
Even she was beginning to feel suffocated.
After chatting a while longer, Amber escorted Hu Tao out. They agreed to meet again once the dragon calamity had truly ended.
But as Amber headed back to the Knights' headquarters, her thoughts were heavy. She soon arrived at Jean's office door.
Knock, knock.
"Come in."
Hearing the Acting Grand Master's voice, Amber entered.
Jean put down her pen and looked up. "How's the monster camp outside the city?"
Though only nineteen, Jean carried the air of a mature woman, elegant and steady, like an older sister. Yet now, that beautiful, composed face was marred by dark circles beneath her eyes.
Amber frowned. "All cleared, but Captain Jean... you really should rest more. You've got dark circles already. If this keeps up, your body won't hold out."
The dragon crisis had everyone on edge, but going days without sleep was too much.
Jean's eyes softened with gratitude, yet she shook her head.
"I can't rest yet. Too much has happened lately. If I stop now, others will only have to bear even more. I just need to make it through this period."
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