AQR1: A Peerless Genius from Two Cities [COMPLETED]

8: The Mountain

This is the first time na aakyat si Emy ng bundok. Hindi naman kataasan iyon. But she could already tell na dahil hindi pa gaanong napapakailaman ang bundok na iyon, it hides a lot of wonders there.

She wants to discover them all. But for now, her focus is that water.

Hindi siya nagmamadali. She has more than a year to discover most of it if not all. And just with that thought, her lips hooked up like an excited child.

Liu Fu and Choi Kang were telling her about the important things about that mountain. Gaya na lang kapag sa madadaanan nila ay may entrance ng cave. They also told her na may waterfall din na itinatago ang bundok at sa likuran lang ng waterfall na iyon ay isang underground cave.

She made a mental note to visit those too.

"Sister Emy, if you want to rest, just tell us." Choi Kang offered. Kahit naman may pagkababaero siya, he is still a gentleman.

"I am still alright. We are travelling a bit slow dahil na rin hindi pa kami sanay ni Anika na mamundok. I really have to thank these two brothers for being considerate to us."

But even Emy says that, she won't let them assist them in anyway. Ilang beses na ba siyang tinangkang tulungan ng dalawa? But she just rejected them all politely.

Soon, nakarating na rin sila doon sa kinaroroonan ng stream ng tubig na ginamit nila Liu Fu sa magic tricks nila.

"Here it is." Turo ni Liu Fu kung saan may malalim na hukay at doon tumigil yung stream. Ang tubig na naroroon ay kayang magsuporta ng apoy ng matagal.

"We accidentally discovered that when we were looking for plants na mga panggamot."

"I see."

Emy was obviously thinking at saka siya nag-umpisang maglakad pataas. She followed the stream.

"Follow her, Liu Fu. I'll stay here with her maidservant." Sabi ni Choi Kang.

Liu Fu nodded at saka sinundan si Emy. Hindi naman siya lumakad ng malayo. She finally found what she's looking for.

It was the hole kung saan nagmumula ang stream.

"This is it." Emy said happily.

"The what?"

"This will be the spot na babalikan natin next month."

***

Liu Fu couldn't believe na gugustuhin pa ng dalaga na bumalik doon sa bundok. Sabagay, hindi naman kasi talaga ganoon kahirap umakyat doon eh. Basta alam mo ang mga dapat daanan, you will have it easier than it should be.

Ang hindi niya inaasahan ay plano nitong bumalik doon kasama sila ni Choi Kang. Though, alam niya sa sarili niya na hindi siya tatanggi. All of the sake of curiosity sa gustong gawin ng dalaga sa lugar na yon.

He is not sure about Choi Kang though.

Anyway, pagbaba nila ng bundok ay naghiwalay na silang apat ng daan. Emy and Anika still had to drop by sa boutique para magpalit ng damit.

Yes, even here in Ming Province, may boutique si Calix. Normal boutique nga lang ito dahil na rin sa estado ng mga tagaMing pero it is still useful.

After na makapagpalit ng dalawa ay agad silang umuwi. Sakto lang ang oras ng uwi nila. Hindi sila masyadong hinapon. Walang magtatanong ng marami kapag sinabi nilang naglakad lakad sila sa buong Ming.

Pinagpahinga niya agad si Anika when they arrived home. Alam niyang nabigla ang dalaga when she asked her to come with her to the mountain. Kumpara kanila Lia at Veronica, hindi siya sanay sa mga ganoong gawain. Most of her service kasi ay talagang tagasilbi lang talaga.

But Emy appreciated na hindi man lang ito nagdalawang isip para samahan siya.

As for her, she focused again on her notes saka sinubukang dagdagan ang mga entries niya doon.

Maya maya lang din ay dumating na si Lia. Emy looked at her expectantly.

"Miss, I've came to Master Lino's forgery."

"And did you watch him do the first prototype like I have told you to do?"

"Yes. I have made sure na susundan niya step by step ang instruction niyo." Saka may inilabas na isang gloves ang dalaga. "He and his wife successfully created this one today."

Inabot agad iyon ni Emy at saka ininspeksyon. It was indeed made accordingly. Napangiti siya.

Maswerte siya dahil natagpuan ni Lia ang mag-asawa. While Master Lino is a smith, ang asawa naman nito ay mananahi.

Their business are just providing enough. But that's exactly why Emy had chosen them instead to do her projects. No one will notice much kapag tumigil sila sa pagpapanday ng mga gamit pangsaka at pagtatahi.

Emy plans to borrow their skills for her own purpose.

But of course, hindi lang basta basta niya hiningi ang serbisyo ng mga ito.

Emy paid them greatly.

Uncle Shin left her a huge amount of golds and coins to spend. And he told her na magpapadala pa ng marami kada buwan.

Well, since that's the case, she plans to use them for her own purpose.

***

After dinner, wala pa rin si Veronica.

Emy was getting a bit worried. Veronica is bright. At hindi niya ito tinantanan these past few days for her to grasp the basic of medicine. But she is worried na baka kinabahan ng sobra ang dalaga.

She's certain. The pressure of taking the apprentice test and disguising is not to be taken lightly.

And as appreciation for the loyalty of Veronica, Emy stayed up hanggang hindi pa siya nauwi.

At hindi naman siya nabigo.

When it was almost midnight, Veronica came back. Akala niya ay tulog na ang Miss niya. But when she passed by her room, napansin niya na bukas pa ang ilaw nito. Agad siyang pumunta dito at naabutan niya na nagsusulat ang Miss niya.

When Emy looked up and smiled at her, hindi na napigilan ni Veronica ang mapaiyak.

Emy was surprised but an understanding crossed her face.

Nilapitan niya si Veronica saka tinapik ang balikat nito.

"S-sorry, Miss. Kinabahan lang po ako ng sobra kanina."

"I can imagine the anxiety you had, Veronica. Don't worry about it."

Well, it is not always that she can get what she wants. And most especially, her people are not perfect. They cannot always do whatever she asked them to do.

Nasa ganoong pag-iisip siya when Veronica pulled out a paper at inabot yun sa kanya.

"What is this?"

"My certificate po."

Emy was very surprised. She really thought na hindi nakapasa si Veronica dahil na rin sa pag-iyak nito.

But when she looked at her certificate, that's when she realized na kahit mahirapan ang mga ito sa inuutos niya, they will still give their best to accomplish everything.

That touched her heart in all honesty.

***