"Yes, of course." Katheryne nodded. "I can have someone contact him now, but it'll take a little while. Would you mind telling me what this is about?"
"We don't mind. An adventurer named Cartis passed away. He entrusted us with handling his affairs, and there are a few items we need to pass on to someone named Bennett."
"Cartis… passed away?" Katheryne looked a bit surprised—but only a little.
Once you become an adventurer, danger is part of the deal. It's not uncommon for someone to go missing, and when news finally arrives, it's often news of their death. She'd heard it too many times before.
Nearby adventurers had also overheard Hu Tao's words, and the guild hall stirred with noise.
"Cartis? He's dead?"
Some of them had known Cartis personally, and the sudden news of his death left them shaken.
"The last time I saw him was at the camp in Dragonspine… I didn't think the next news I'd hear about him would be this…"
"Damn… fate can be cruel."
While they waited for Bennett, Hu Tao and Jiang Bai weren't about to waste a good opportunity for promotion.
They slipped into the group of adventurers discussing Cartis, casually blending into the conversation.
"Were you friends with Uncle Cartis too?"
"And you are…?"
A few of the adventurers exchanged puzzled looks—these two looked young, and didn't seem like adventurers themselves.
Still, they were the ones who brought word of Cartis' passing. No one objected to them joining in.
A man with a thick beard spoke up. "Friends? Not quite—we just shared drinks a few times."
"We're from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. I'm Hu Tao. Uncle Cartis hired us to handle his posthumous affairs. We've been asked to deliver a few things to his loved ones… and to scatter his ashes into Cider Lake."
As Hu Tao explained, she began handing out flyers.
"Cartis also signed up for one of our publishing services. His account of his adventures—including the secrets he uncovered about Dragonspine—will be released soon. You'll be able to find the book in bookstores across the region."
While promoting Wangsheng's services, Hu Tao also sneakily plugged a new title that barely had a first chapter written.
There weren't many people gathered around them now, but word would spread—one person tells ten, ten tell a hundred. Soon, the entire Mondstadt Adventurers' Guild would hear about it.
And with that, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would start making a name for itself in Mondstadt.
Their local expansion was just around the corner!
"That's right! If anyone has similar needs, feel free to reach out to Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!" Jiang Bai quickly handed out a flyer stamped with his personal seal. These all counted toward his performance record—he couldn't let Hu Tao hog all the credit.
The adventurers who took the flyers chuckled awkwardly once they saw what was on them. The whole thing felt a bit unlucky—like they were being jinxed into an early grave.
But the kids were smiling and polite, and Hu Tao was an adorable girl to boot. No one had the heart to turn them away. In fact, they were genuinely curious—what kind of service had Cartis signed up for that would get him a book deal?
After all, for adventurers like them, having one's tales turned into a book was the highest form of honor.
"So he died on Dragonspine, huh? Did he find some legendary treasure?" someone asked, their eyes shining.
"Not quite treasure," Hu Tao replied, her smile turning mysterious. "But Uncle Cartis did uncover the full history of the ancient kingdom buried in Dragonspine, and even the truth behind how the mountain came to be covered in snow…"
"If you're curious," she added, "keep an eye out for our upcoming release—Tales of the Snowy Kingdom!"
And she really did hook them. The adventurers' curiosity was piqued—they all made a mental note to pick up the book once it was out.
Watching all this from the sidelines, Venti gaped.
"Whoa… That was incredible…"
If I could sell like that, I'd never worry about paying for wine again…
But alas, salesmanship wasn't really his thing—he was a performer, not a promoter.
Hu Tao and Jiang Bai knew when to stop. They left just enough mystery in the air to stir interest and anticipation, then stepped back to wait for Bennett.
They didn't have to wait long. Word had reached him, and Bennett came rushing in, breathless from sprinting all the way.
"Who… who's looking for me?" he asked, bent over, hands on his knees, panting hard.
"You're Bennett?" Jiang Bai looked a little surprised at the teenager in front of him.
He had expected someone young—Cartis had mentioned a junior—but this adventurer really did seem too young.
The boy had hair as white as Jiang Bai's, with a pair of goggles perched on his head and a bandage across his nose.
He wore thin leather armor, and his bare arms were marked with scars and still-healing wounds wrapped in fresh bandages.
From his appearance, it was clear he wasn't living comfortably. But his spirit was another story—his eyes shone with energy, brimming with hope and passion.
Jiang Bai couldn't help but think:
To already be risking his life in the Adventurers' Guild at this age… it's not easy.
"Yeah, that's me. And you guys are…?" Bennett scratched the back of his head, puzzled by the unfamiliar faces.
"I'm Jiang Bai. This is my Director, Hu Tao. And this is Venti, the bard who brought us here," Jiang Bai introduced them casually.
He still wasn't sure why Venti had decided to tag along, but since he was here, he might as well be included.
"There's a lot to go over. Why don't we find a place to sit and talk?"
Still looking confused, Bennett followed them to a quieter corner of the guild.
Once they were settled—ignoring Venti, who was clearly just here for the show—Jiang Bai took out a small wooden urn and placed it gently on the table.
Hu Tao didn't speak. She let Jiang Bai take the lead.
Back at Wangsheng, they'd been trained on how to handle emotionally charged situations, how to manage grief, how to deliver bad news—but learning was one thing. Handling it in the real world was something else entirely.
So far, Jiang Bai was doing well. Now came the final, most delicate step: breaking the news and delivering the relics.
Under Bennett's confused gaze, Jiang Bai took a solemn breath and said, "I'm very sorry to inform you… Mr. Cartis Imonloka died during an expedition. These are his ashes."
"Uncle Cartis… he died?" Bennett stood frozen in shock, his mind struggling to accept it.
But the urn on the table made it real.
His eyes turned red almost instantly. But he bit his lip and forced back the tears, silently waiting for Jiang Bai to continue.
"According to his will, some of his belongings are to be passed on to you. He also asked that his ashes be scattered in Cider Lake on a windy day. We felt… you were the best person to carry out that wish."