Malu dropped me off not far from my house, handing over the money I had honestly earned through robbery.

Three thousand dollars. A small amount, considering that for drug trafficking across the border by car, they pay the driver from four to six thousand. But not so small if you look at the average salary of an average person in our city. My mother makes about the same amount a month, and my father makes a thousand more, working as a policeman.

But unlike the first time, when I got paid a grand for cracking safes, this money didn't make my head spin. Memories of the photos I saw effectively cooled my nerves. Photos in which I saw them... and what was done to them... I tried to convince myself that it wasn't my business, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that I had a hand in their deaths.

And then there was the murder of the security guard. I felt fine now, but at that moment, the sight literally paralyzed me. It was the first time I had witnessed a person's life being taken away. Could I have done it?

The answer was obvious. Everyone says that human life is priceless, but that's a lie. It's worth exactly as much as others will pay for taking it away. And if I were offered the right amount, I wouldn't hesitate to take it. Because of the money. Because given the choice between a stranger and my family, I'd make the most obvious decision.

Still, I felt a bit uneasy. Nightmares were guaranteed, as was being haunted by the memories of this evening.

And the main question - was all of it worth the money I got? Walking down the path to the house and pulling out a bundle of cash, I could answer unequivocally.

Yes.

Although, if any of my parents found out, I'm afraid it wouldn't end well for me. My father was a calm, stern man who hated inequality and criminals. He also seemed to be an idealist. So, the conversation would be at least difficult. And my mother... It would break her heart, probably not as severely as Nataliel's death, but it would still hurt.

However, looking at the money, I understood that it was definitely worth the risks. I secured a week's worth of medicine for my dear sister. If I pushed harder, I could even afford the most expensive pills. And who knows, she might start running around healthy someday.

If that doesn't work out... I can always go va banque - straight to the bank. It may sound funny, but I don't rule out such options. Who knows where the road will lead, and who knows what I'll actually risk doing out of necessity? After all, as much as we brag or downplay, the real personality is revealed in extreme situations.

The house was dark, which could only mean that everyone was asleep. If I'm lucky, my parents are held up at work, as sometimes happens, and everyone else is sleeping. If I'm not, I'll have some questions to answer tomorrow. But even then, I can just go to school, and by evening, everyone will have forgotten. The worst-case scenario would be if someone were lying in wait for me, like my mother.

I quietly opened the door and listened to the house. No creaking of floorboards, no footsteps, nothing. Perhaps everyone was really asleep. Carefully closing the door and taking off my shoes, I tiptoed to my room. With my weight, it was difficult as the floor traitorously groaned under my kilograms of quality fat, stocked for a rainy day. I would've liked to take a shower, but that would surely wake someone up.

And just as I crossed the corridor and passed the kitchen...

"Do you know what time it is, Nurdauleth?"

No, they were on watch, after all. Nothing I could do about it, but at least it wasn't my Mom or Dad by the sound of it. But the fact that my sister calls me by my name means she's displeased. Very displeased. She only uses my somewhat unusual name when the conversation is going to be serious.

By the way, my name is Nurdauleth. Lapier is my surname, Nurdauleth Yerofeyevich, you could say, a native Manchurian with French-Kyrgyz-Russian-Ukrainian roots. It's unsurprising since Manchuria, due to its history, is a country of immigrants, attracting many people from various countries for various reasons, the main one being war.

First, during World War I, when the Russian Empire was fighting the Germans, it managed to split into parts. This was due to a fiery greeting from Germany along with a man who came to the Russian Empire, supposedly named Lenin.

Everything started, as far as I remember history, with an uprising. An attempt at revolution, after which he and his accomplices had to flee east, far away from the central power, where he raised a rebellion more successfully.

The country exited World War I, and a civil war began, as a result of which the Russian Empire was battered. The nationalism of the people living in the vast country didn't disappear. Therefore, after everything that happened, several countries were formed, including the significantly diminished Russian Empire, Ukraine, Finland, Poland, Belarus, Siberia, Manchuria, and a few other states.

While other countries began a stage of recovery, many had their eyes on Manchuria, or the Free Manchurian Republic as it's also called, as a gateway to the eastern part of Asia. Many participated in the intervention here, from Britain and the States, which are god knows how far from here, to China and Japan. Another war, but among those wanting to possess the territory here.

Achieving nothing, they began to retreat temporarily, and many migrants flooded here in search of their fortune, which brought so many different people.

Then came World War II, and again, Manchuria was pushed around at the whim of anyone who could reach it. Germany was defeated, but nobody wanted to stop in Manchuria. There were more wars, more battles, after which there was nothing left but soldiers of various countries who stayed here for various reasons, ruins, and migrants who came here before and after the war. And this is on top of the country's population, those people who remained from the Russian Empire.

After that - silence, just your average third-world country until it has gotten on its feet. How exactly?

Investments. And the tax-free port of the city of Silverside.

The port became a gateway into the heart of the continent. Many realized how much profit could be made using this port to reach not only Siberia but also Mongolia and even the Russian Empire. And many other countries on this continent.

They began to come here, establishing their firms. These firms gave birth to other firms. They built a railway. And the government gave out land almost for free, just to encourage companies to open up here.

Huge profits, huge money, huge investments - Manchuria secured itself from the rest. Everyone had a share here, which is why nobody risked starting another conflict with this country. Factories appeared, new cities, businesses, productions, jobs, more or less decent wages, and so on.

And then, the city where the port was located became a city-state. I don't know the reason, the history textbook is silent, but now it's literally a city open to everyone.

Manchuria managed to become what it is today. Now we have people like me, with French-Kyrgyz-Russian-Ukrainian and a dozen other roots. And there are other people in the country: all sorts of Pierres, Berezovs, Browns, Mambas, Baharis, Um-Sam-Jimans, Yamamotos, Murtis, Schwarzs, and many others who flocked here from all over the world. Fortunately, everyone speaks Russian, as it's the state language.

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My mother is the daughter of immigrants. Her father was Kyrgyz, her mother - Russian. My father is also the son of immigrants; his mother was Ukrainian, and his father - French. That's my rich lineage. Therefore, I was named in honor of my grandfather, or great-grandfather, and my middle name is from my father with Ukrainian roots.

I just don't understand why my sisters, Natali and Nataliel, were given beautiful and harmonious names, and I was named Nurdauleth? No, I appreciate my history and ancestors, but such a name stands out even against the backdrop of the rich ethnicity of our country. I wonder, are there other people who are somewhat... unsatisfied with the name they received at birth?

"Are our parents running late?" I asked without interest.

"Yes, but I'm here."

"I can hear that. Natali, you could have gone to sleep."

"Where have you been, Nurdauleth?" she asked a bit coldly.

She's genuinely angry. And the reason for her anger is not that she likes to boss people around, but simply love. It doesn't bother me at all; in fact, I appreciate it in her, and that's why I respond very calmly to such a reaction.

Although Alex says that I just don't give a damn. But he's wrong.

"I was out for a walk."

"Until six in the morning? Tomorrow, or rather, today, is not a day off, I hasten to remind you. Turn on the light."

I obediently flicked the switch, and a dim light bulb illuminated the small kitchen. Natali sat with her back propped against the wall with her hand on the table. When she focused on me, her fingers started drumming on the countertop. There were dark circles under her eyes.

"So, Nurdauleth, are you going to answer me or not?"

"Of course not," I replied impassively, reaching into the cupboard for coffee. Not the kind in sachets; it was more expensive than regular loose coffee and powdered milk with sugar if you count everything. "Want me to make you some, too?"

"Do it. But I can't understand why you're treating us this way. Nataliel was worried, sitting up until she fell asleep on the table, waiting for you. You know how she is."

"I didn't ask her to wait for me," I pointed out.

"It's not for you to tell us what to do!" Natali suddenly squealed, making my ears ring.

It was so unexpected that I even flinched. From her blow on the table, the wood plaintively creaked, and the light bulb flickered disturbingly like in horror movies. Moreover, I felt tension in the air. A tangible tension, as if the air was about to start sparking.

I looked at her in surprise.

Natali sat up straight, with tightly closed lips and red eyes, looking at me with some kind of stubbornness and resentment.

I could say that it's none of her business where I wander and that she's not the one to tell me what to do, and so on and the like. I could accuse her of controlling me too much, saying that I'm not her son and that she's getting on my nerves. But instead of this verbal flow, I just put the coffee tin on the table, approached her, and hugged her. Just to calm down my raging sister, who is dear to me.

Because she does this only out of love for me. Natali is afraid for me, as she has already lost a brother, and this has left a mark on her forever, like a stamp on a passport. And now her sister is slowly dying, and the brother she worries so much about is hanging out who knows where. It's painful for Natali, she's scared, even if she doesn't show it. I appreciate what I have, I appreciate those I have, so I'm not going to argue with someone who is very dear to me.

Natali is just tired.

As are we all.

The disease is not only killing Nataliel, it's killing each of us.

"You've been hanging out who knows where," she hissed when I hugged her.

"I know."

"You won't get away with just a hug. We were beside ourselves."

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to worry."

She didn't hug me back, but that wasn't a concern. I let her go, giving her a peck on the cheek as a final touch.

"I love you, sis."

I returned to the coffee can and continued brewing it.

Many people underestimate the simple word "love." It's not enough for loved ones to know that you love them - they want to hear it. They just want to hear, "I love you." Because it's one thing to know and another to hear. Especially parents who get the short end of the stick when children grow up. They understand that their children love them, but sometimes they don't hear the heartwarming word for years. And some even start to doubt that they are loved at all.

Many people just don't understand that.

I want them to know that I love them because it's important to them, too. Even though Natali is sulking right now and pretending she doesn't care, I know what's going on in her heart.

"Where have you been?" she asked about five minutes later, as I set a mug in front of her. Her voice was calmer than before, but there were still hints of anger. Yet it only made me smile because she didn't seem like an older sister right now, but more like a little upset kid sister you just want to tease.

How could you not love such a creature? Yes, she could be annoying as hell sometimes, but she was also a beloved family member. You had to accept her, flaws and all.

"I went for a walk."

"It's six in the morning."

"Yes, I know."

"Brother," she's calling me brother now, which means she's calming down, "I'm worried enough about Nataliel, who couldn't understand why you disappeared and wouldn't answer your phone. She can't be stressed, you know that. And now you're out who knows where for the whole night, too. Yes, it's only once, but you need to understand. If our parents find out, they'll be devastated. Mom is already getting worse, as if she's sick along with Nataliel."

She sighed heavily and took a sip of her coffee.

"I'll explain everything to her tomorrow, alright? To calm her down. And don't worry about me. I'm just working."

"What kind of work is that?"

"Normal work. However... I need your help."

She perked up immediately. I could see how she straightened up, like she was in her element, where she had to help someone with something. Only, I was afraid my problem wouldn't make her very happy.

"What do you need help with?" she asked in her big sister mentor voice.

"Money."

"Money?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I have money," I laid the bills on the table, some of which looked pretty shabby. "I want you to tell our parents that this is your money."

"My money? Wait a minute, where did you get it?" She picked it up and quickly counted it. "There's four thousand here! Where did you get this much money?"

"That's exactly why I want you to say it's yours - because our parents will ask me the same question."

"But where did you get it from? This is a month's salary for Dad!" She still couldn't believe it. "There are two of my salaries here, for that matter!"

"Listen, this is for Nataliel. Mom and Dad won't believe that this money was earned honestly and will be stubborn about it. Dad will be especially hard to persuade."

"I don't believe that it was earned through honest work either," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't take me for a fool."

"But it was earned through honest work," I insisted.

Because I had honestly earned it during a robbery on the rich house of a maniac.

"You're lying."

"Even if I am, why can't you just say you got a raise or something?"

"Because it's dirty money," she pushed it away from her. But I was waiting for that phrase - I was planning to hit Natali where it hurts from the very beginning, no matter how lowly that was.

"So you don't want to take them just because of your own whim? You'd choose your whim over our sister's life? Are your beliefs worth more than her life?"

"Don't start," Natali pressed her lips together. "Don't, brother, please."

"But where am I wrong? You don't want to take them because you'll feel dirty, wrong. It'll contradict your beliefs. But didn't you say you were ready to do anything for our sister? I've gone beyond my own desires and beliefs to earn this money. I didn't enjoy what I had to do, but I did it for our sister."

"That's not the issue..."

"Then what is? I did earn it honestly, if not entirely legally. You just have to lie, and that's it. Can't you step over yourself for the sake of our sister? Or are your beliefs more important than Nataliel's life?"

My sister's defense crumbled quickly. I achieved the desired effect. Natali started crying. It was mean and low, but I had to do it. Our family is ready to do anything for our sister. Anything, except stepping over our own beliefs. Especially our father. That's why... I'm doing this only for the benefit of our family, only for her. I'm ready to use the lowest methods for the sake of the goal, to step over myself and my own beliefs, if it helps.

Because, in the end, all of it is immaterial, unlike Nataliel's life.

I hugged Natali again, kissing her on the top of her head.

"You're such a bastard, brother," she mumbled.

"I'm only doing this for someone dear to both of us. Only because of that."

"So, you really have gotten yourself into something bad and are hanging out with bad guys."

"I'll just say that it's all for Nataliel. If it weren't for her, I'd never have done it," I moved her head away from me and looked into her eyes. "Never, do you hear me?"

"But what if something happens to you? Don't think you're the smartest. If it were all that simple, everyone would be doing it."

"I know. But we need money."

"But not at such a cost," she sighed. "Not at the expense of each other."