AQR1: A Peerless Genius from Two Cities [COMPLETED]

9: Chess Pieces 5*

Emy got awakened again by her nightmares. She grasped her chest and caught her breath.

She also felt hot tears on her face as she recalled the explosion that killed her loved ones.

Agad niya iyong pinunasan. There was no room for her weakness. Not specially now.

She stood from bed and lit up the lamp on her table.

After grabbing some water to drink, her eyes fell on her chess board.

That's right. She couldn't let weakness now. Everything was already in place. All she had to do was wait for the pieces to act willingly on their roles.

***

"Miss, you're up early." Bungad sa kanya ni Anika. Kasunod niya si Grace na may dalang tray ng pagkain.

"Or maybe, our Miss didn't sleep again." Grace said disapprovingly.

Naabutan na naman kasi siya ng dalawa sa harapan ng mesa at nagchchess.

She just smiled at them.

"Those two are out already?" Emy asked pertaining to Lia and Veronica.

"Yes, Miss." They answered pero hindi na rin sila nagtanong kung anong pinagagawa niya sa dalawa at palaging maagang naalis ang mga ito.

"Anyway, what are your plans today, Miss?" Tanong ni Grace. She wanted their Miss to consider going out the house once in a while. After the party, she just stayed inside the residence. Kung hindi nagbabasa ay nagpapractice naman ng swordfighting.

Grace and Anika were afraid that if this continued, baka pagdating ng pasukan ay mahirapang makipagkaibigan ang dalaga.

Emy knew exactly her maidservants' concern. So nginitian niya ulit ang dalawa.

"I plan to spar with Franco again."

"But, Miss..."

Tumayo na siya kaya natigilan ang dalawa.

"I expect that the two of you will do well in practicing too. Take advantage of the training. You will both need them in the nearest future."

Nagkatinginan na lang ang dalawa.

"Oh, and can you look for a way to stop nightmares?"

***

Gaya ng sabi ni Emy sa dalawang maidservants niya, all she planned for today was to spar with Franco.

And that's also all her plan for the whole vacation.

***

Days and weeks were quickly passed.

Gaya ng dati, if anyone would look for Franco and Emy, they would find them inside the dojo.

Even Franco was amazed by his cousin's tenaciousness.

Emy started weak. Noong mga unang araw, Franco had an easy time defeating her.

But as days passed by, he noticed that their sparring kept on consuming time. Hanggang sa hindi na niya alam kung anong oras silang inaabot sa isang sparring lang.

His cousin was starting to get intelligent with her attacks, that's why he was having a hard time to easily defeat her unlike before.

But that's not the most surprising yet for him...

Today, they were sparring like usual. Nakailan na din silang ulit. But the duration of each sparring just kept longer and longer.

Franco was thinking that this would be the last sparring for the two of them for today. He was also tired. Pero hindi ibig sabihin noon ay he would go easy to her now.