Shadowbound

Chapter 3: The Farmers

After the tall pine trees lined up on the road, a wide field welcomed our sight as we rode Mr. Satorre's carriage towards the farmland of Halsemer. Nabasa ko ang file ni Solomon Turmecc. He has three young sons and a wife. They belong to a middle-class class because they owned their properties of land, which they earned money for living. 

Hindi sila kasing yaman ng mga ibang mag-uuma na may maraming lupain sa kahit saang rehiyon. It is a family-operated farm where they work their own lands to provide their daily needs. They have livestock, wheat, corn, and other plants to sell in the local markets. Isa sila sa mga mag-uuma rito sa Halsemer na umasenso kahit na sila lang ang nagtatrabaho.

Ang quest namin ay ang mga nawawalang mga baka nila. There are other animals mentioned, but the description said it was mainly cows. Malaki rin ang pabuya niya para masolba ang nawawalang mga baka niya. He said they would stay at night to watch the cows but still have gone missing. Nakakapagtaka. 

Pagkarating namin sa lupa ng mga Turmecc's ay agad namin silang hinanap. Kaharap ko ngayon ang lupain nila na napakalawak. Sa gilid ng lupain ay naroon ang bahay nila. A simple cozy home that is made of hard wood. 

Nagpaiwan ang butler ni Mr. Satorre kung nasaan ang eleganteng karwahe. Mayamaya'y lumapit kami sa bahay nila at doon lumabas ang isang binatang lalaki na sa tyansa ko ay nasa labing-anim na taong gulang. 

He looked at us in awe and called his parents. Napatingin sa'kin si Mr. Satorre at ganoon din ako. 

"Yes, Mr. Satorre?" I probed. 

"I was wondering, can we drop the formalities a bit?" his brows shot up.

Kumunot ang noo ko. Ano ba ang ibig sabihin niya? "I don't quite comprehend what you mean, Mr. Satorre." 

He straightened his back. "The first time I met you, you were a bit determined. I noticed that after you signed that contract, your ways of addressing me are well... too formal." 

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko. Well, I'll be damned. Yes, when I found out how wealthy this fellow is, I adjusted my behavior and manners. I do not belong in an upper-class status to be meticulously trained enough to be proper like them. Of course, who wouldn't? I'm her partner, and I must show my politeness.

"That's how we should be, aren't we?" paalala ko sa kanya. 

Tinignan niya ulit ako. "Miss Dominique, we need to be more like a team rather than a business partner." 

Napataas ang kilay ko sa kanya. This man clearly is making things faster for us. Siguro'y takot itong manakawan ulit dahil baka hindi pa niya ako pinagkakatiwalaan. 

"Mr. Satorre, we need to establish trust before we get through to that." 

Napangisi ang lalaki't napatingin sa unahan. Tinignan ko rin ang tinitignan niya at naroon ang mga Turmecc na mukhang naghihintay para sa'min. Once we got near, they curtsied. Mr. Solomon Turmecc also removed his hat to bow down. 

"Ano po'ng maipaglilingkod ko sa inyo?" simula ni Solomon. 

Ngumiti ako. "Mr. Turmecc, my partner and I are here for the quest. We saw your quest back on the quest house, and we took the offer." Mr. Turmecc's eyes and those of his family widened. 

"To formally introduce ourselves, I'm Shun Harris Satorre." pakilala ni Mr. Satorre sa kanila. 

I curtsied. "And his partner for this quest, I'm Zurielle Dominique." 

"I didn't expect someone would actually take our quest. Nilakihan ko talaga ang pabuya para may kumuha ngunit umabot lang ng isang buwan at wala pa'rin," Mr. Turmecc said.