-Break-

  While my two siblings sleep ihe house, I sit on the roof and stare up towards the moon tonight. “How pretty! Noick stop hiding.”

  “How!?”

  “Shhh, be quiet.”

  Sitting beside me, he says, “You must be some sort of superhuman.”

  “I am the magnifit Nehalennia!”

  “The mystiymph, the det of a fotten god, the angel who fell onto the world, a gem given human form, the very cept of beau-.”

  Putting my hands over my face, in embarrassment, I say, “PLEASE STOP!”

  “Those are all the things I hear people say about you, I swear some of the men have even started to worship you like some god.”

  Falling to my side, I roll around on the roof, whilst saying, “This is too embarrassing, I ’t show my faywhere ever again.”

  “You shouldn’t say such things because I am sure anyone who sees your face will truly praise god.”

  Giving Warwick a hug, I say, “You really are a sweet young boy.”

  Embarrassed, he says, “Let go of me?”

  Breaking from my grip, I say smugly, “Still getting embarrassed though, how adorable.”

  “Leave me alone!”

  Getting bato my shitting position, I say, “You’re a good kid, Warwick, despite your familial loss in this pgue, you still e over to py with my siblings. Thank you so much.”

  “No, I should be thanking you. I have been given a sed family here.”

  Mogly, I say, “Well with how you and Maria have beeing along, I am sure you will be part of this family soon enough.”

  Flustered, he says, “Me and Maria no way.”

  Pushing my face against his, I say, “Oh don’t be like that I know she likes you, and you both get o.”

  “We are not like that!”

  “Then why are you blushing, looks like someone’s embarrassed, looks like someone’s hiding his feelings!”

  Grabbing my shoulder, he says, “I DON’T LIKE MARIA, I LIKE YOU!”

  Hearing him say this I try to keep my faal and say, “Oh I see. No ce!”

  “Wait what’s with that disgusted expression, and why so quickly? You could at least think about it!!”

  “I just thought about it, and no ce!”

  “So heartless.”

  “I am used to rejeg men, so I sort of lost all forms of poise when it es to it, and e on Warwick you're like my little brother.”

  Standing up he says, “But my feelings are the real deal, Man, I love you.”

  Taking the fessiht to the heart, I dramatically fall over, and say, “If only you were an amazing cook, and I didn’t wipe your ass when you were a baby.”

  Embarrassed he says, “Don’t bring that up!!”

  “And it stank as well, I had to block my nose when I did it.”

  Falling to the ground in embarrassment, Warwick says, “I knew my fession would be rejected.”

  “Don’t be doick, and anyways I am not that great of a woman anyways.

  I am a prostitute who tricks men into giviheir money, even knowing that some of them are quite literally head over heels in love with me. I lie for a living.”

  And even today, I saw a man about to get killed for stealing Basileia crystals, I could have bought what he stole or offered him some of mine as an apology, but I just abandoned a human in the same situation as me, aren’t I awful?

  I tio ramble on about how horrible I am, and as I speak, I take stoy own words. What kind of person even am I? Why does a dirty human such as myself have the right to be around su kids, will my nonsense hurt them iure? My beauty is truly the only positive thing about me.

  “I don’t really see what’s wrong with you?”

  Shocked, I stop then say, “Aww, how nice Warwick, but lying is bad.”

  “I’m just saying how I see it. Despite your hatred for your own as, you move past it to make sure those two, and me are safe. The willio destroy yourself for others isn’t something many people have. And no one on this isnd would judge you for keeping Basileia crystals to yourself, you would gdly help people if it wasn’t for this situation, we were all forced into.”

  “But still, that doesn’t ge the results, Warwick.”

  “You're right, so when I bee the head of the Marines, I will make sure that no one will be put in such a situatiohey must make the choices you have to. That’s a promise!”

  Stunned I say, “You really are a cute one, Warwick.”

  “I see, so when I bee head of the Marines marry me.”

  “You do realize I am not a maiden.”

  “Who cares, women with experience are super sexy.”

  Smag him on the head, I say, “Watch your words you 8-year-old child.”

  Rubbing his head, he says, “And besides it isn’t like you always wao be a prostitute. Didn’t you want to bee a mert for adventurers?”

  “How did you know about that!?” I say flustered.

  “You always look at adventurers with envy, and don’t you always read that new author Captivant’s books all the time.”

  “Aww, how embarrassing.”

  “Don’t worry Man when your my wife we will go on tless adveogether.”

  “You do realize the prostitutes are historically the end of many great heroes.”

  “Then I will bee an ultimate hero, so even a prostitute wouldn’t be the end of me.”

  Sighing I say, “You're really serious about this.”

  “Deadset. So please when I bee an admiral marry me!!!”

  “Ok then, when you overe tless trials and challehen finally bee an admiral, I will shoot you down with a smile on my face.”

  Slumped over, Warwick says, “I poured out my heart and I still failed.”

  “Better luext time.”

  Sitting up, he says, “Oh well, your sister looks like you anyway.”

  Tag him, I say, “You pyboy!!”

  -Break-

  Getting up out of bed I yawn and stretch, “Guess I stayed up to te st night.”

  Scratg my underboob, I look around ahat uhe big b which we all sleep that Maria is missing. “Where could she have ran off to?”

  Getting up, I open the door of our house and walk around looking for her, and then behind the house. Running up to her, I say, “Whatcha doing back here!”

  But then I stop and I see the arm that Maria had ed up is ied. As she tries to hide it, I run up and grab her arm saying, “Since when did you know about this?”

  Breaking free of my grip she says, “That’s nothing.”

  Grabbing her and pinning her down, I shout, “DON’T GIVE ME THAT CRAP! Is that really the pgue?”

  Shaken she says, “Yes!”

  Hearing this my grip loosens and my heart drops, then moments ter Maria says, “Don’t worry about me sister, it is only a little bit I will be fine, so just focus oing Taer.”

  Giving her a hug, I say, “You don’t have to pretend Maria, you’re still just a child as well, o be strong.”

  Feeling her body shake, she cries and says, “Please just leave me alone, you already work hard enough for all of us, aill barely get by to afford Tana’s medie. Until he is better, I am sure, I will be fine.”

  “Maria we only need one adult in this household so please just act like a child and tell me how you really feel.”

  g even more, she says, “Sister I am scared!!”

  In my arms, I tell her, “Don’t worry it will be ok.” As I gently caress her back, my mind starts to focus even more. I o find more work!

  -Break-

  Bowing my head tranny, I say, “Please if there is any work you get please send it my way, even if it is the irl's ers.”

  “That’s a hell of a thing to ask Nehalennia, even for you.”

  “I know it is, but I have brought you good business so please do this kindness for me.”

  “Sorry, but it doesn’t seem like we will be getting business for a while. The marines have tighteheir blockade around the diseased isnds, no one will be allowed to e as well as leave the isnds anymore, I got the butterflies this m.”

  “Why the hell would they do that, the pgues have stopped spreading.”

  “Apparently some are, some aren’t. They aren’t taking the ces, and just pn to starve us out. So, all the high-paying ers, the ones you take won’t be ing. The resources on this isnd are all we have until everyos better or dies.”

  Freaking out I start to panic, then I say, “I got to buy up as much as I . Granny, I o find some more work.”

  “Wait right there Nehalennia, is this truly wisdom?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “People won't have the moo spare for the other activities they do with you, so basically only sex is oable for a quick lupa. Now if the famous Nehalennia starts being a on whore her value will drop quickly, so after this crisis is over what will bee of your life?”

  Angered I say, “Did I not expin both my siblings are ied?”

  “I am well aware of that.”

  “Then oint are you making!?”

  “Nehalennia let your brother die, and use the remaining crystals to heal your sister. You cure your sister whose symptoms aren’t as bad and still keep your value, your livelihood will still be intact.”

  “WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, THAT ISN’T EVEN AN OPTION!!”

  “It is, and ohat you o think about! Nehalennia even if your brets better, he will definitely fae level of physical impairment iure due to the backsh, you know some of the survivors are currently fag that, so unless you want to spend even more on medical care iure I suggest you give up on him.

  You’re sister is also pretty like you, she could be married off to a powerful family.”

  “I thought you were better than this, but you’re just heartless.”

  “If I was heartless I wouldn’t be giving you this advice, would I? But whatever, do what you want, but I definitely won't be helping your self-destru.”

  Feeling my emotions run while, I dash out of the room and run dowreet. I run and run and run until I run out of breath and fall to the fletting up and spping my cheeks, I say, “No time to whi to move forward, I should just wait around the shop and solicit any men ing close.”

  As I arrive close to the store I hear, someone say, “Nehalennia!!”

  Turning around I see another eainer, and say, “Carol what do you need?”

  “Oh, I just overheard your versation with the madam earlier and thought I could help you.”

  “Noould you do that?”

  “If your value drops, as the number 2 eainer I would bee the most valued woman in this house, so please tell me why wouldn’t I try and help you lose value?”

  Sighing, I say, “You tricky bitch. What job do you have for me?”

  “You see a bunch of adventures are currently stuck here because of the tightened security, and you see these lively gentlemen need some eai for their long stay and will pay 100,000 lupas per night.”

  “What’s the catch?”

  “Well, you won’t be able to leave until they have their fill, so you might be there fhts or even weeks at a time. So how about it Nehalennia?”

  Taking a deep breath in and out, I say, “Alright I’m in.”

  -Break-

  Giving Tana a hug, I say, “Be well.”

  “You too sister.”

  Patting Maria’s head, I say, “I will be back as soon as possible.”

  “I know.”

  Kissing Warwick check, I say, “Please care for the both of them.”

  Blushing, he says, “I PROMISE!!!!”

  Maria hits him in the side and says, “What is that rea!”

  “Shut up, idiot!”

  Giving all three of them an hug, I say, “I love you all.”

  “I love you, sister.”

  “Stop being weird sister.”

  “I love you eternally Man.”

  Letting go I say, “I will see you soon.” Then I head out the door.