Chapter 176: Manpower
When the great doors of The Evernight Cathedral swung open, Hans heard a clamor from within. It wasn't the sound of prayers, but rather an argument.
"I've had enough! Tonight's dinner absolutely cannot be gruel again!" Sister Cecilia's voice echoed through the grand hall. She stood amidst a group of simply dressed nuns, hands on her hips. "Gruel yesterday, gruel the day before yesterday, and gruel the day before that! My mouth has practically forgotten the taste of meat!"
A young nun responded softly. "But Sister Cecilia, this month's food budget has already..."
"Don't you dare mention that damned budget to me!" Sister Cecilia interrupted, turning to point at Father Anchi, who was polishing a skeleton statue in the corner. "The root of the problem lies right there! Someone took all the money from the donation box to buy wine!"
Father Anchi didn't even lift his head, continuing to polish the statue's toe bones. "The money in the donation box is for the necessary expenses of maintaining the cathedral's daily operations." His tone was as flat as a chant. "And wine is an indispensable necessity for sacred rituals."
"That's utter nonsense!" Sister Cecilia stormed over, grabbing the back collar of Father Anchi's priestly robes. "You weren't saying that last night when you were dead drunk! You were muttering about it being a fine wine personally bestowed by the Sovereign! Tell me, what sacred ritual requires you to drink yourself into that state?!"
Hans stood at the entrance, observing the scene, gravely doubting if he had come to the right place.
Danica emerged from a side door. She saw Hans, paused, then her face lit up with surprise. "Mr. Hans! What brings you here?" Her voice drew everyone's attention.
Sister Cecilia released Father Anchi's collar, turned, and scrutinized Hans up and down. "The Guild Leader of The Sunflower Merchant Guild?" She narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing in our impoverished little corner?"
Hans's mouth twitched. He stepped into the hall, his gaze sweeping past the obstructive Sister Cecilia, locking onto Father Anchi, who was just straightening his collar. "I'm here to discuss a business proposition."
Father Anchi finally put down his rag. He turned, his perpetually expressionless face now etched with vigilance. "Business?"
Hans nodded, pulling the slightly dog-eared proposal from his pocket. "I plan to establish orphanages across the Empire, to be called the 'Sunflower Homes.'" He walked up to Father Anchi, handing him the proposal. "I need staff—caring, patient, nurturing staff."
"And The Evernight Cathedral perfectly fits the bill."
Father Anchi took the proposal, opened the first page, and quickly scanned it. Then he looked up, giving Hans a look as if he were an idiot. "So you want us to work for you for free?"
"Certainly not for free." Hans immediately countered. "Every clergy member assigned to a Sunflower Home will receive a monthly salary of five silver coins."
"Room and board included, and one day off per week."
Father Anchi's expression remained unchanged. "Sounds decent." He closed the proposal and casually tossed it back to Hans. "But I refuse."
Hans caught the proposal smoothly, his brows furrowed. "May I ask why?"
"Why?" Father Anchi's voice was devoid of emotion. "Firstly, we are already short-staffed ourselves. As you can see, the number of worshippers coming to the cathedral daily is growing. My nuns here don't even have time for staggered breaks, so where would I find extra people to send to you?"
"Secondly, I don't know you."
"Why should I believe your orphanages aren't just some scheme to defraud people?"
"Thirdly..." He paused, his tone growing even colder. "I dislike trouble."
Hans was silent for a moment. Then he smiled. "Father Anchi, I believe you've misunderstood something." He put the proposal away, shoved his hands into his pockets, and his tone became relaxed. "I'm not here to ask for your help."
"I'm here to do business with you."
Father Anchi raised an eyebrow. "Is there a difference?"
"Of course." Hans walked over to the giant skeleton statue and looked up at it. "You said earlier that you're short-staffed, right?"
Father Anchi remained silent, but Sister Cecilia, unable to restrain herself, blurted out, "Isn't that obvious?! Aside from Anchi, that lazy oaf who only knows how to drink, the only ones who can actually work here are me, Danica, and a dozen new recruits who don't know anything!"
"All the other experienced clergy members have already been dispatched to various branch cathedrals!"
"Just greeting the residents who come to pray every day is already exhausting us!"
Hans turned, looking at the agitated Sister Cecilia. "Then, what if I can completely solve your manpower shortage?"
Sister Cecilia froze. "What do you mean?"
"The Sunflower Merchant Guild has a department dedicated to training service personnel," Hans began slowly. "I can provide The Evernight Cathedral with ten trained assistants for free, to handle reception, guidance, registration, and other tasks."
"For a period of three months. If you are satisfied after three months, you can choose to retain them, and their salaries will be paid by me."
Sister Cecilia's eyes sparkled. "Really?!"
"Absolutely true." Hans nodded definitively, then turned his gaze back to Father Anchi. "In exchange, The Evernight Cathedral will need to dispatch five clergy members to my Sunflower Homes in every future city we establish."
"I will still pay their salaries, but their daily management will fall under my responsibility."
Father Anchi's fingers tapped lightly on his robes. He didn't answer immediately, instead staring at Hans for a long time. "You're trading people for people."
"Exactly." Hans admitted it frankly. "But what you gain is more than what you give."
"Ten well-trained assistants for five clergy members. No matter how you calculate it, you won't be at a loss."
Father Anchi fell silent. Sister Cecilia could no longer hold back. She rushed to Father Anchi, vigorously shaking his shoulders. "Agree to it! Say yes, now!"
"With those ten people, we won't have to work ourselves to death until midnight every day!"
"We'll even have time to make decent meals in the kitchen!"
Father Anchi, dizzy from being shaken, pushed Sister Cecilia away. "You be quiet." He looked back at Hans. "You just said you'd pay the salaries?"
"Yes."
"Including the salaries of those ten assistants?"
"Yes."
"Then we'd essentially be getting ten people for free?"
Hans smiled. "You could interpret it that way."
Father Anchi's expression finally softened somewhat. He turned and walked to the skeleton statue, looking up at it as if seeking its counsel. After a moment, he turned back.
"I can agree to your terms."
"But I have one condition."
Hans gestured for him to speak.
"Your orphanages must unconditionally accept orphans of all races." Father Anchi's tone grew serious. "Including those races ostracized by human society."
"Such as succubi, beastkin, and... any abandoned child."
Hans was taken aback for a moment. Then he burst into laughter, a truly joyful sound. "Father Anchi, you are the second person to make this condition to me."
"Who was the first?"
"Scarlett, the Guild Leader of The Succubus's Dream." Hans extended his hand. "She lent me five thousand gold coins, on the exact same condition as yours."
Father Anchi stared at Hans's outstretched hand, silent for a moment. Then he, too, extended his hand and clasped Hans's. "It seems our intentions align, then."
Their hands met.
Sister Cecilia cheered from the side. "This is wonderful! We finally won't have to work ourselves to death every day!" She rushed to Danica, embracing her in a spin. "Danica! We're saved!"
Danica was dizzy from the spin, but a smile spread across her face. "Indeed, Sister Cecilia."
Hans released his hand, pulling a contract from his pocket. "These are the specific terms of cooperation. You can take a look."
Father Anchi accepted the contract, diligently reading through it page by page. His expression gradually grew peculiar. "This contract... it's incredibly detailed, isn't it?"
"It even specifies the working hours, break times, and meal standards for each assistant?"
Hans shrugged. "I'm a merchant; it's a habit."
Father Anchi turned to the last page and saw Hans's signature. He picked up a nearby pen and signed his own name. "Agreed."
Hans collected the contract, turning to leave.
"Wait." Father Anchi called out to him.
Hans turned back. "Something else?"
Father Anchi pulled a small coin pouch from his robes and tossed it over. Hans instinctively caught it, feeling the heavy weight within. "What's this?"
"A donation." Father Anchi answered expressionlessly. "A donation of fifty gold coins from The Evernight Cathedral to the Sunflower Homes."
Hans was stunned. "You... where did you get so much money?"
"From the donation box." Father Anchi turned, picked up his rag again, and resumed polishing the statue. "It's just sitting there anyway; might as well use it for something meaningful."
Sister Cecilia's eyes widened. "Wait! That's our food budget!"
"The food budget can be earned back," Father Anchi said without looking up. "The children's future, however, cannot wait."
Sister Cecilia opened her mouth, intending to say something, but ultimately closed it. She turned and glared fiercely at Hans. "Did you hear that? That's our food budget!"
"If you dare waste a single copper, I'll report you to the Punishment Legion!"
Hans held the coin pouch, suddenly feeling its immense weight. He took a deep breath and bowed to Father Anchi's back. "Thank you."
Father Anchi waved a hand. "Don't thank me; thank the Sovereign." He pointed to the skeleton statue above them. "If not for him, under any previous church, any other ruler, I would never have helped you."
"It is he who brought about the current order and trust."
Hans looked up at the massive statue. The skeleton, with one hand supporting its jaw, its hollow eye sockets seemed to be gazing down upon everything. "I have always been grateful to him."
He turned and left the cathedral.
Behind him, Sister Cecilia's voice rang out again. "Anchi! You donated all the food money! What are we eating tonight?!"
"Gruel."
"I'll fight you!"
Hans walked out of the cathedral. It was late, but the streets of Iron Fortress Territory were brightly lit. With Father Anchi's manpower support, a significant amount of training and screening costs had been saved, and the startup capital was now sufficient. The Sunflower Homes project could finally officially begin.
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