This is my treasure!

ㅤ With a little luck, treasure hunting is a lucrative business. And often, you don't need much: find it once and you're done. Every little thing was not considered a find. But not for those who counted every coin… "Mine!" The two hunters rushed toward the artifact. It was ancient, but not particularly valuable. They grabbed it at the same time. "Give it to me, I have orphans to feed!" "I have a school to build for your orphans, and I haven't eaten in a long time!" Gritting their teeth, they both tried to win the artifact for themselves, but, unfortunately, they were physically equal. "Eighty-twenty!" Rutee proposed the deal first. "How generous of you to give me eighty!" Iria smirked, knowing full well that wasn't the deal she had in mind. "Don't even think about it!" Rutee hissed. Bargaining was pointless: there was only one outcome that could help them escape this hopeless situation. Fair. Equal… No matter how much they wanted it. And they really didn't want it! That's why the silence dragged on. Their hands grew tired from holding on to their loot in a death grip. Their fingers ached. A resigned sigh was heard from both sides. "Fifty-fifty," Rutee resigned herself, sensing that her rival was also ready for reconciliation. And so they settled. Having sold their loot, they parted in silence. Each looked longingly at her bag: the expected sum had been small anyway, and halving it was downright depressing. "I won't have enough to build a school even by my old age," Iria thought sadly. And then she couldn't think anymore: she heard a loud, unpleasant male voice on the outskirts of the village. There she found a recent acquaintance and a fat, expensively dressed man. He was rudely berating the girl and demanding her immediate eviction, along with all her children, if she didn't pay the debt immediately. And no amount of persuasion or convincing him that only a small amount remained, that she had almost already paid it all, was helping. "Hey, friend!" Iria called to her, not knowing her rival's name. "As promised, I'm paying you back!" Iria ran up to Rutee and placed the bag of coins in her hand. Hesitating, seeing the firmness in her "friend's" gaze, Rutee quickly counted the contents and handed it to the man, pulling out just a few coins. "Here's the missing amount." "You're in debt yourself, yet you manage to lend to others? No wonder the orphanage is in such a sorry state," the man laughed nastily. However, he took the money and approved the payment. Until the next installment. After waiting for the man to leave, Iria said sternly, "You owe me food and shelter." "If the conditions don't restrict you," Rutee smiled gratefully. And she added, barely audibly, afraid that her true feelings would burst out: "Thank you." Iria heard her perfectly well. She understood, so she didn't press the issue. After looking around the building and the peeping children, she continued: "So, this orphanage is home to those orphans you mentioned. There's enough for a whole school." "But there's no school here," Rutee shrugged. "I could teach the children while you search for treasure, and you can take care of the household while I travel. That way, we won't be in each other's way." 'And I'll get some practice.' "Well…" Rutee mused. "The older children usually take care of the household, so… Why don't we team up in our hunt?" Rutee smiled slyly, foreshadowing something interesting. "I know a place you can't reach alone. But together, we could…" "Take everything!" Iria was fired up with the idea. "Excellent! Then what are we waiting for?" she exclaimed enthusiastically. Rutee only laughed. "Rest and a good food," she said, tempering her new partner's enthusiasm. "We'll need our strength." They knew their business very well, so they understood each other without words, coping with difficulties. They could both heal each other's wounds when needed and take any fighting position, easily manipulating the battlefield. And also masterfully leaving it… Not every battle was worth the effort. Only the treasure and its price mattered! And together, they could obtain anything, working in perfect harmony. They always split the spoils equally. But… The first thing Rutee did after receiving their first shared reward was count out a certain amount from her share and give it to Iria in a small bag. Although the sum seemed small compared to the gold they'd received for everything, nothing was more precious than that small bag. After all, it was this bag that had once saved the orphanage from a tragic fate… ㅤ