Shen Qin carefully reviewed the contract, signed his name, and handed over the Gnosis. In return, he received 20% of Northland Bank's shares and a promissory note worth 50 million Mora.
"Pleasure doing business with you!" Tartaglia shook his hand, finally relieved now that the Gnosis was secured.
"Want to grab a drink at Cat's Tail? My treat," Shen Qin offered.
Tartaglia remembered the exquisite taste of that wine and swallowed involuntarily, but shook his head. He carefully placed the Gnosis in a box. "You know I can't. I need to deliver this back to Snezhnaya ASAP… Next time. I'll treat you."
"Or maybe we'll meet again in Liyue." With that, Tartaglia departed.
Albedo couldn't help but grumble, "Couldn't you two have chosen a different place? Trading the Anemo Archon's Gnosis like a commodity right in front of the cathedral, it's kind of sacrilegious."
Only now did Shen Qin realize the severity of it. He'd always been a materialist and had never given religious decorum much thought.
Feeling a bit guilty, he said to Albedo, "Let's get out of here."
Albedo sighed. "Just act normal. Don't draw attention. If you say the wrong thing, things could go south quickly."
Shen Qin tried to slip past the priests and sisters, but they all knew he had helped save the Anemo Dragon, a former companion of the Anemo Archon. Seeing him, they warmly greeted him, blessing him with "May the Anemo Archon protect you," making it even harder for him to meet their devout gazes.
"Mr. Shen!" came a cheerful voice behind him.
Shen Qin turned around, a little helplessly, and greeted the running Barbara. "Miss Barbara."
"I'm so glad you're back safely. The Anemo Archon must be watching over you." She placed a hand to her heart and spoke reverently.
Shen Qin: "..."
Albedo tried not to laugh and intervened: "Miss Barbara, we just got back and haven't even had lunch. Is something the matter?"
"Oh? I'm sorry to hold you up, Mr. Albedo." She looked sheepish, then turned to Shen Qin. "Actually, I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"Could you make another batch of smart wristbands for us? We've been overwhelmed by the number of patients at the church. With diagnostic features, the wristbands would boost our efficiency immensely."
Worried he might refuse, she quickly added, "If necessary, I'll sing a few songs for you. I could even dance!"
She blushed as she spoke.
She remembered how Shen Qin had asked her to sing when he gave her the first wristband and thought he liked hearing her sing.
"Ah— no need for the singing or dancing. I'll make the wristbands. Just make sure the church provides reasonable compensation." Shen Qin agreed readily.
While helping out was a charitable act, Shen Qin preferred fair and transparent transactions to avoid trouble. He wasn't a softhearted pushover.
Barbara was a bit disappointed but still happy he agreed.
Albedo glanced between the two and sighed in relief on Sucrose's behalf. Shen Qin was so dense there was no way he'd be stolen by another girl. But it would take Sucrose being more proactive to make him realize her feelings.
They grabbed a free lunch at Good Hunter, then lounged at Cat's Tail as Shen Qin insisted. After wandering around the city, they ended up at Angel's Share and helped set up decorations and dishes for the evening party.
As night fell, guests arrived one by one. By the agreed time, everyone had gathered.
Besides the knights, the celebration included Diluc, Venti, Barbara, Rosaria, Keqing, and Cyrus—all of whom had contributed to ending the crisis.
Before the party officially began, everyone insisted that Jean give a speech. She couldn't refuse and said, "Today is a day worth celebrating. Let me first raise a glass to all of you."
Everyone lifted their glasses and downed their wine or apple cider.
A light blush spread across Jean's cheeks, and the alcohol helped her relax a little. "Everyone here has done so much for Mondstadt. First, to Diluc. Though not a knight, his private forces supported our monster purging efforts and he personally took part in key operations. I toast to you!"
Cheers and applause followed.
"To Cyrus, leader of the Adventurers' Guild, who assisted in post-disaster relief and supported the Knights' efforts. I toast to you!"
"To Amber, Kaeya, and Eula, three outstanding captains who led the monster-clearing squads. I toast to each of you!"
"To Klee, whose inventions added critical firepower. The bombs she's been stashing for years gave us a huge tactical advantage. Let's all toast to Klee!"
"To Noelle, who worked tirelessly to keep logistics running. In my eyes, she is a true knight. I toast to you!"
"To Barbara, who healed countless citizens. With her around, we never have to fear injury. I toast to you!"
"To Rosaria. The church complains about her coming and going at will, but she always charges to the frontlines. She's not just a nun—she's a true warrior. I toast to you!"
"To Keqing, a Liyue native who didn't hesitate to help Mondstadt in its darkest hour. May our friendship endure. I toast to you!"
"To Lisa, Albedo, and Sucrose—the Knights' best alchemists. They may not have fought on the frontlines, but their contributions were just as valuable. I toast to you!"
"To Venti… may you always be the free wind that blesses this land. I toast to you!"
Finally, Jean looked to Shen Qin. Her eyes were slightly glazed from the alcohol, but her voice was still steady. "Shen Qin, without you, Mondstadt wouldn't have changed so much. We wouldn't have overcome the dragon crisis so smoothly. You've done so much, more than words can say. I toast to you!"
Everyone rose to their feet and toasted Shen Qin together.
Sixteen drinks in, Jean's eyes were already a bit hazy, but her thoughts remained sharp and her words clear.
So that's what they mean by the Gunnhildr family's legendary alcohol tolerance!