THE FORTUNIST

1. Leurayssa

“Albeny has Seven major Houses.”

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"Rel!" Leurayssa screams for joy the moment her sister waltzes into the restaurant. She immediately rushes in for a hug. The customers ignore them, already used to seeing the filial spectacle. While Leurayssa actively manages the restaurant and its workers, Anarella is rarely around.

Anarella breaks the hug and shoots upstairs towards the sleeping quarters. Leurayssa follows closely behind.

"What took you so long?" Leurayssa moans, "You said you won't be gone three days."

"It was worth it," says Anarella as she drags out a massive sack of gold coins out of the small ring she wears on her index finger. Spatial rings are a commodity only nobles can afford so no one would even have the slightest suspicion that Anarella had one. "This," Anarella announces, referring to the bag of coins, "can pay our rent for a whole year and settle the last of our mortgage for the restaurant."

"Uh, that's cool but I'm just happy you are back," Leurayssa murmurs instead of squealing. She does not like her sister's bubbly attitude. If Anarella has indeed come to stay, she would have thrown herself on the kitchen sofa first instead of rushing around like someone whose feet is on fire.

"Well of course you are happy my cute little sister," Anarella pinches her cheek. "Whatever can you do without me?"

"I run the restaurant all year round without you."

"Of course you do," Anarella hums, "yet there's nothing you prefer more than having my face around."

"You praise yourself too much."

"I concur."

"Are you not even thinking of retiring?"

"Lords Leu! I'm twenty five."

"My point exactly. You should start thinking of marriage."

"Yes Mom," Anarella says sarcastically.

"That boy Thornton," Leurayssa continues, refusing to be daunted, "He has a promising future. An Albenarum graduate. He comes by everyday and asks for you. You know it is inconceivable for him to find out you were a bounty hunter."

Anarella scoffs. "Were?" she asks.

Leurayssa's heart sinks as she already knows where this is going. "You… you promised this was going to be your last mission."

"And you believed me?"

"I was crying and… and you promised me."

"Exactly. You were crying so I promised you."

"What?"

"Leu, you are my sister and I thought you of all people would know I'd melt to death if I stay even up to two days here doing nothing."

"You'd be…"

"Busing tables or whatever isn't my thing Leu, it's yours. Don't force your lifestyle on me. I'm doing this to keep you happy. The restaurant needs more than what the profits drag in."

"You sell yourself to danger everytime you go on a mission."

"Point of correction, I don't sell myself to danger, I wrestled with danger. There's a difference," Anarella argues as she shoves a grape into her mouth.

"What's the difference?"

"The difference is that I win, I always win. And I enjoy it. That should be the only thing that matters, that I enjoy it. You run the restaurant and enjoy it— I bring the gold and enjoy it. And we end up both doing what makes us happy."