Alex, In Amelia's thoughts—Edon was a werewolf. If that were true, couldn't he also belong to the group known as the Mystic Shadow?
Not only that, if he truly is from that island, how could he have ended up here...?"
Suddenly, Aami asked a question. Alex looked at her with an expression that seemed to say, 'Haven't you let this go yet?'
"If that's the case, why would I come here? I have a hope that I will find some kind of clue here..." she said.
Alex smiled. He knew her nature well enough by now. She must have found an answer to the questions brewing inside her. To get those answers, she would take any path or means necessary. After all, isn't curiosity a common human trait? It was just that in Aami's case, it was a little more intense.
Most people, if they realize they cannot find an answer to their question, or if they have already set their minds against it, would never venture out on such adventures. But Aami is entirely different. Her philosophy is that no question exists without an answer. If you hear her explain it, it actually starts to sound quite right.
Alex added one more thing: "They say that for the Mystic Shadow pack to reach their island from this mountaintop, there is a cave or a portal beneath the sea... They even say it is located within Edinburgh Castle. These are all just myths among the people, Aami... I don't know if any of it is true."
"If those myths are actually true," she replied, "then where on this mountaintop would the path to their island be,...the entrance."
She spoke with intense anticipation.
"Why do you need to know this? Do you have some plan to go there?" Alex asked, his hands folded in a plea. "My dear Aami , no one who has ever set out believing in such myths is alive today... I'm telling you from experience. Please, don't go looking for trouble where it isn't needed."
"Furthermore, what you are trying to seek out is not a normal human or even a group of humans. They are a pack of werewolves filled with supernatural power... from what I've heard, they are incredibly cruel. They might not attack someone for no reason, but they certainly won't let anyone go who jumps right in front of them."
"No... don't take my life too, just to satisfy your curiosity. I am just an ordinary man with many dreams... and a young one at that. A wife, children, a married life—these are the important things on my list."
He spoke these words pleadingly. Aami pursed her lips and turned her face away in a sulk.
"Still, Alex... I won't have any peace until I know about Amelia and Edon. Her story is forcing itself into my mind... it's haunting me. I've tried to put it away, but I can't. I don't know why, Alex... why am I so curious about this...?"
She stood there, her eyes fixed on that island. For a long time, she remained silent, lost in thought, realizing with a sense of despair how strongly her mind was being drawn to that place.
"Shall we walk further ahead, Aami ? From there, the island will be much clearer... When we came that day, I wasn't in the mood for anything because I was so upset about the drone being lost," Alex said suddenly.
Aami hummed in response.
"Let's stay here today... the mornings and evenings here are amazing. You can see both the sunrise and the sunset from the two sides here."
As they walked slowly forward, Alex's suggestion made Aami 's eyes widen in surprise, as if asking, 'Are we really going to stay?' He looked at her with a smile.
nodded his head, and gently patted the back of her head.
"You are sometimes more difficult than a small child, you know..." he said.
"Isn't it in moments like this that you have to tolerate me? Then there's no problem..." she replied, stroking the head he had just patted.
"Maybe we should try a dating plan for a lifetime...?" Alex asked mischievously. Aami laughed.
"If I feel deep down that you're the one for me... then let's see. Until then, let it go on like this..." she winked.
Alex laughed too, and in his heart, he sincerely prayed for that chance.
If you were told they walked two or three kilometers, would you believe it? Well, you should believe it, because as they talked, they reached one end of the sea, enjoying the beauty of the island. Looking from there, as Alex had said, the place was much clearer.
With her eyes, she captured the distant sight of a waterfall in that clarity. She was certain that a place like this could not be seen anywhere else on earth. It was such a beautiful region that those who lived there must be just as beautiful. It's no wonder they say that the human forms of werewolves are extraordinarily handsome and beautiful.
They had only brought sandwiches for lunch, as it wasn't possible to carry heavy food. Besides, even though they were in the woods, there were plenty of wild berries to be found—like cloudberries and mulberries... and even chestnuts and wild apples. Because of that, hunger wasn't a major concern.
Since it was winter, by the time 3:30 PM passed, the mist began to cover everything and the views slowly started to disappear. Yet, the sunbeams piercing through that mist had a unique beauty of their own. Because Aami's leg was bothering her, Alex helped her along.
Alex set up the tents close together and prepared the beds. He opened a small window in the tent so they could see out, just in case Aami needed anything.
As the sun set and darkness spread, campfires were lit across the mountaintop. The sounds of music and festivities could be heard in the distance. Alex brought out a bottle of wine, and Aami looked at him in surprise.
"I knew the vibe here would be like this..." he said with a smile. "Why don't we try it? This is a special wine made from the grapes of Grandma's garden...".
Aami nodded eagerly. They poured two glasses and shared a toast. It was excellent wine—not too bitter or intoxicating—and it didn't take them long to finish the entire bottle.