hapter <b>488 </b>
Just as Felicia was about to leave the shop, the shop owner shook a bronze bell at his side, and the crisp sound rang out.
She turned back to see the shop owner clicking his tongue and saying, “If none of these match the sound you’re looking for, then you’ll need to find <b>a </b>craftsman to custom–make one for you. Even then, the sound varies depending on the material and size of the pper. It’s hard to get a perfect match.”
The shop owner gave her a scrutinizing look and added, “Youngdy, you’re not here just to mess around, are you?”
“Do I look like it?<b>” </b>Felicia replied.
She felt she had been sincere enough, but sound was <b>a </b>subjective thing. Unless someone had heard the same bell before, it was impossible to give it a description that both parties would understand.
With a sigh, Felicia realized she’d have to try another approach.
Just then, the shop owner chuckled and pointed to the disy case behind him. “If you buy something from my shop, I’ll tell you where I’ve heard a bell like the one you described.”
“Really?”
Although Felicia was skeptical, money wasn’t an issue for her right now, so she waved her hand and bought the most expensive violin in the shop.
“Now, tell me. Where did you hear it?”
The shop owner, delighted as he counted his money, cleared his throat and said, “At a chapel on the very top of Sunset Mountain, southwest of the city.”
Walking out of the shop, Stanley was holding onto the violin case and asked, “Ma’am, you’re not seriously nning to <b>go </b>to this so–called Sunset Mountain, are you? What if he was just bluffing?”
“Then I’lle back and smash his shop,” Felicia replied as she got into the car. Her thoughts, however, were elsewhere.
Southwest of the city, at the top of Sunset Mountain.
She had actually been there before.
Back then, she and Carmen had climbed to the summit, where they saw an old tower and a 700–year–old tree next to it. Carmen had even pulled out two small wooden ques seemingly out of nowhere, and the two of them wrote down their wishes and hung them on the tree.
Their visit was cut short when they unexpectedly ran into Myra and Ka. The awkward encounter ended their trip early, and they descended the mountain without visiting the nearby chapel.
After they descended, Felicia was kidnapped by Maurice’s men.
Returning to the ce she had once visited with Carmen felt surreal. She also wanted to see if the wooden ques they had hung on the <b>tree </b>were still there or if they had been blown away by the wind.
“I miss you, my friend,” shemented inwardly.
Felicia gazed out of the car window in silence.
Stanley carefully ced the expensive violin in the back seat before getting into the driver’s seat. He started the car and headed southwest toward Sunset Mountain.
When they arrived at the foot of the mountain, it was noon. The zing heat made her drowsy.
It was Stanley’s first time here<b>. </b>Seeing the bustling crowd and the many food stalls, he clicked his tongue in wonder. “This mountain doesn’t look particrly special. Why is it <b>so </b>crowded?”
Felicia smiled faintly <b>at </b>thement. She had said the exact same thing on her first <b>visit</b>. novelbin
At the time, Carmen told her while eating an <b>ice </b>cream cone, “The view of the sunset on this mountain is stunning, which is why <b>it’s </b>called Sunset Mountain. A lot of photographers and touristse here <b>to </b>capture <b>it</b>, and that’s how it became so popr.”
Now, Felicia repeated the story <b>to </b>Stanley, word for word, but prefaced it with, “My friend told me this.”
Stanley noticed that when Felicia mentioned the word “friend“, her <b>eyes </b>carried a hint of nostalgia and sorrow<b>. </b>
“Alright, wait for me at the foot of the mountain<b>. </b>I’ll <b>go </b>up alone,<b>” </b>Felicia said.
She bought some food but didn’t linger, heading straight up the mountain trail. Stanley rubbed his <b>face </b>and, with <b>a </b>sigh<b>, </b><b>followed </b>after her.