Now that the customer traffic had increased dozens of times over, the hotel’s staff was simply not enough.
The lads responsible for purchasing ingredients had already made three trips to The Market. The carriages were nearly worn out, yet ingredients were still in short supply.
The kitchen was even more chaotic, and even the girls from Heaven’s Haven had come over to help process the ingredients.
Martin Lemans, who was in charge of cold drinks, was also going crazy.
He had originally thought that expensive desserts like ice cream and sorbet would never sell in the Lower City, but could someone tell him where these endless orders were coming from?
“Mr. Matthew! I’m sorry! The desserts… there really isn’t a single drop of dessert left! All the raw materials are gone!” Martin had been busy from noon until evening, and he was nearly exhausted.
Looking at the crowd still queuing outside, Matthew’s feelings were complicated.
A booming business was a wonderful thing, but all he wanted to do right now was close the doors and sleep.
“Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Martin. Please take a rest first.”
“Sigh,” Martin plopped down into a chair, but his eyes were startlingly bright. “I knew the Master’s shop would be popular, but I really didn’t expect it to be this popular! My revenue for a single day has topped what I used to make in several months!”
Now that making money was no longer an issue, Martin’s mind began to churn with ideas on how to make the products better and how to make the Continental Hotel the best in the Capital.
Matthew was just thinking that the young master of the Laval House could stir up a storm just by throwing out a random idea.
Joining the Laval House was definitely the right move.
In just one day, the Continental Hotel became famous throughout the Capital.
When the last of the ingredients were exhausted and a sign saying “Please come early tomorrow” was hung at the door, the customers who didn’t get to eat immediately complained.
Matthew immediately stood up according to Allen’s instructions.
While sincerely apologizing, he distributed compensation vouchers to everyone who had missed out—on their next visit, they would not only get a discount but also enjoy the privilege of priority service.
The crowd’s resentment instantly turned into a pleasant surprise.
They clutched their compensation vouchers and dispersed contentedly, their minds already calculating how to come and taste that legendary “Eastern Cuisine” tomorrow.
Matthew didn’t know that the Continental Hotel’s success was far more than just the merit of the food itself.
Throughout the day, members of the Workers’ Patrol across the entire Capital had been voluntarily promoting the Mutual Aid Association.
Many citizens were stunned by what they saw.
A local thug at the street corner, who just a few days ago was getting into bloody fights over protection money, was actually dressed in a new uniform today and blushing as he handed out flyers to an old lady passing by?
“Ma—Ma’am, would you like to learn about the Mutual Aid Association? Joining has… has benefits, and they even provide breakfast…”
This sight of a “prodigal son returning” made people curious.
Thus, with a mindset of watching the show, wave after wave of citizens flocked to the recruitment points of the Mutual Aid Association.
Upon looking into it, they found that the organization was actually quite good.
Many people filled out application forms on the spot and received the legendary breakfast voucher.
But by the time they rushed to the Continental Hotel, breakfast was long gone.
Since they were already there, they couldn’t leave empty-handed.
With that thought in mind, they gritted their teeth and ordered those strangely named lunch items on the menu.
And then?
Then there was no “and then.”
Everyone who finished eating became a spontaneous promoter for the Continental Hotel.
On their way back, they bragged to everyone they met, praising the hotel’s dishes to the skies.
Word spread from ten to a hundred, and the result was that the Continental Hotel completely exploded in popularity.
Even the instigator, Allen, hadn’t expected that these former thugs and hooligans would have such an amazing effect when it came to promotion.
Night fell, and the Continental Hotel finally closed for the night.
Ella dragged her tired body along, tidying up the mountain of membership applications.
Her body was exhausted, but her heart was more fulfilled than ever before.
Ella felt that she had completely said goodbye to her nightmare past in the Thieves’ Guild and had become a new person with ideals and a future.
At that moment, footsteps came from not far away, and Finn walked over. His face carried the fatigue of working overtime, but seeing Ella, his gaze softened unconsciously.
“Finished?”
Ella nodded and poured him a glass of water. “Yes. What about your side? I heard you’ve nearly emptied out the Intelligence Division?”
“I wouldn’t call it emptying it out. The two of us did some ideological work with those newly liberated female comrades yesterday, and the results were quite good. Their resistance toward men has lessened a bit, and they are willing to join other departments and work with the male comrades.”
Finn took the water glass, and his fingertips accidentally brushed her hand. Both of them pulled back as if they had been struck by lightning.
He cleared his throat, forcing his tone to become serious.
“Eleanor has already gone to the Torchbearer to complain about me. However, I have also sternly warned those male comrades—whoever makes inappropriate jokes or has a slack attitude will have to wait to be personally disciplined by Leader Allen.”
Ella couldn’t help but laugh. “The number of people who want to be disciplined by the Leader right now could probably form a line from here to the Royal Palace gates.”
Finn was stunned for a moment before he also realized it, and he reflected with a serious expression.
“…You’re right. Hmm, it seems the Discipline regulations left by Leader Allen must be strictly implemented. I’ve noticed some comrades are starting to slack off after achieving just a bit of success. Someone actually asked for leave from the organizational study session today.”
“Maybe they’re just tired?” Ella said softly.
“Tired? Have you ever heard our Leader Allen say the word ‘tired’? We are still young; this is exactly the time to strive for the Revolution!” Finn spoke with passionate conviction.
Seeing the two of them acting so shyly and only talking about work in their private conversation, several members of Dawn’s Children who hadn’t left yet couldn’t bear to watch any longer.
One of the boys intentionally shouted at the top of his voice:
“Comrade Finn, Comrade Ella, didn’t you two agree to do everything for the Revolution and not discuss personal feelings for now? Why are you sticking together and whispering as soon as work is over? We’ll handle the rest. You two, hurry up and go on your date!”
“Exactly! So indecisive!”
Amidst the crowd’s teasing and pushing, Finn and Ella’s faces turned red, and they were practically driven out of the hotel’s front door.
Standing in the cool night breeze, the two of them were at a loss for a moment.
“Um…” Finn was the first to speak. “Are you hungry?”
“A little,” Ella’s voice was very soft.
“How about… we go for a walk by the river? I remember there’s someone selling grilled flatbreads over there.”
“Okay.”
The two of them walked side by side on the stone path by the river, the evening breeze blowing the strands of Ella’s hair.
They both kept their heads down, looking at their toes, and neither of them spoke.
Even though they were only a step apart, there seemed to be an invisible wall between them.
Finn tried to speak several times, but the words died in his throat.
In the end, he just stuffed his hands into his pockets, took them out, and repeated the motion several times.
From the corner of her eye, Ella glimpsed his clumsy movements. Her lips curled slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.
She thought about those dark days in the Thieves’ Guild and looked at the boy beside her, who was a bit dull but incredibly honest, and the distant lights of the Capital.
The future they were striving for would surely come.
When that time came, they would be able to hold hands openly like an ordinary couple and walk in the Sunshine.
Thinking of this, Ella’s heart suddenly felt wide open.
If Allen were here, he would likely roll his eyes and then kick Finn over to Ella’s side. “You two, go get your marriage license already!”
However, at this moment, Allen’s thoughts were no longer on the Continental Hotel or these matters of the heart.
He had just received a message that made his heart rate suddenly accelerate—
The Printing Press Prototype was finished!
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