Joining the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?
Kael thought it was a good idea.
The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was the only institution in Liyue that handled funerary rites, and its status was anything but low.
The Fatui's first task for him was to blend into Liyue society, and joining the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was the most efficient way to do that.
Not only would he meet countless people, but the role of undertaker would also serve as a perfect cover.
"I choose one. I'll accept."
[You remembered the Fatui's mission and felt that joining the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was the right choice.]
[And to make your identity as an orphan more convincing, the Fatui hadn't given you any Mora when they sent you back.]
[You were penniless and desperately needed a job to survive.]
[The old man's eyes warmed when you agreed.]
["Child, not every parent can accept their child entering this line of work. Maybe you should ask your parents first…"]
[Hu Tao immediately cut in. "Grandpa, no need. He's an orphan!"]
[The old man lightly tapped her forehead. "You talk too much."]
[He turned to you. "Since your parents are no longer with us, then from now on, the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor will be your home. Just like Hu Tao, you can call me Grandpa."]
[You obediently said, "Grandpa."]
[The old man's impression of you grew even better.]
[The way you had cried for those ghosts reminded him of many old memories. He felt certain you were a kind child.]
[And with such remarkable Talent, once Hu Tao inherited the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, you would become her strongest support.]
[The Director arranged a room for you in the inner courtyard. From that day on, you lived together with him and Hu Tao.]
[Age 11: You had been back in Liyue for almost a year and had been working steadily at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor the entire time.]
[Just as the Director predicted, you truly were suited for this profession.]
[You could speak with the spirits of the deceased, and through those conversations, you learned their preferences and regrets.]
[Because of that, every funeral you conducted felt dignified and human. Families were grateful to you.]
[In only a few months, your name spread throughout Liyue's funeral circles. Many families coming to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor would even request you specifically as the undertaker.]
[Whenever you had time off, you returned to your old home to visit your ghostly friends and share your life with them.]
[Each time, you deliberately acted hopeful and full of anticipation for the future.]
[Seeing you like that, the ghosts gradually let go of their worries. One by one, they left the mansion and headed to The Border for reincarnation.]
[The number of ghosts in the house dwindled, leaving your heart increasingly empty.]
[Even though being left behind made you feel lonely… you knew that reincarnation was their true destination.]
[Eventually, only one ghost remained.]
[Lao Li, the first owner of the house.]
[His energy was so faint it was almost invisible.]
[Seeing his condition made you anxious. You visited the mansion more and more often, hoping to help him reincarnate soon.]
[One evening, the two of you sat side by side in the glow of the setting sun. The light bathed you both, yet on the wall, only your shadow remained.]
["Kael, are you truly happy now?"]
[No.
Not even a little.
You carried a lifetime's worth of blood-deep hatred.
Every day, you thought of your dead parents, of your sister far away in Snezhnaya, and of Katarina.
You feared your identity being exposed. You feared failing in your revenge.
You didn't want them to reincarnate. You didn't want them to leave you behind.
You had forgotten what happiness even felt like.]
[But you smiled brightly, eyes shimmering under the sunlight.]
["The dead have gone, and the living must move forward. This job lets me help people say proper goodbyes, so they don't leave with regrets."]
["Grandpa Li, I'm really happy every single day." (Talent Deceiver activated.)]
[Lao Li looked relieved at your words.]
["Is that so? Then I'm at ease. Kael, I feel my time is almost up. It's time for me to head to The Border."]
[You clenched your fists so tightly your nails carved crescent marks into your palms.]
[You kept smiling. "Alright, Grandpa Li. Go without worry. I'll take good care of myself."]
[A soft breeze swept through the courtyard. In that vast space, you were suddenly the only one left.]
[Your smile faded. Expression empty, you stared at the courtyard washed gold by dusk.]
[You didn't leave the mansion until the sky was deep into night.]
[When you returned to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, you found Hu Tao crouched in the courtyard, chatting with a stone rabbit sculpture.]
["Hehe, did you have fun here today?"]
["Oh, so that's how it is. Right, you're a rabbit, not a cat. You can't catch mice."]
["Heehee, I played hide-and-seek with the neighbor's kids. They're so silly, they never found me."]
[Everyone at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor knew that the stone rabbit was Hu Tao's pet.]
[You were long used to her muttering to herself like this.]
["Stop right there!"]
[Hu Tao spotted you, leaped up, and rushed to block your path with her arms spread wide.]
["You went to the haunted house again, didn't you?"]
[You had no energy left to speak to anyone.]
["I won't be going back anymore."]
["Why not?" Hu Tao blinked. She knew how attached you were to the ghosts there and how you always ran over whenever you had free time.]
[Unless…]
[Hu Tao's eyes widened. "They all reincarnated?"]
["Yeah."]
[You walked past her and returned to your room.]
[Age 12: After the ghosts departed from the mansion, you worked just as diligently as before at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. On the surface, nothing about you seemed different.]
[But you knew. A hollow space had opened inside you, one that nothing could fill.]
[Loneliness and solitude wrapped around you at all times.]
[Still, at some point, an annoying tail began to follow you everywhere.]
["Kael! Let's go pick flowers! We got a big commission yesterday, a funeral for a rich young lady. Her favorite flower was the glazed lily, so let's go look for some!"]
["Kael, let's go to Mingxing Jewelry to buy jade! A client wants a burial pendant carved from white jade!"]
["Kael…"]
["Kael…"]