多年以前,在大雪紛飛的夜裏,大巫女明明警告過明姬別在這時外出。350Please respect copyright.PENANAN1V6V2PEqI
但明姬心中有塊疙瘩始終放不下,趁著居所中的各位聚在一起正談笑幾日後的祭典時,尚年幼的她拉開木板門,一人獨自往山林深處,積雪幸好未如想像的多,她快步跑向白天的目的地,左右搜索。350Please respect copyright.PENANASykyB2JQ8W
350Please respect copyright.PENANARiEyOEb0my
「原來在這兒!」就在一岩石座落的碎石下,明姬一把將窩在地上的小東西溫柔抱起。350Please respect copyright.PENANANy7Eg7inGw
「果然,你是被遺棄了吧?」不知為何,她早上練習破魔弓術時,就遠望見這隻落單的小鳥兒,蜷在岩邊不知在張望何物?白色的羽色和這紛飛的雪幾乎快融為一色,也許再晚些就找不著牠了吧……350Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8hu9dqaMU
純白的岩雷鳥,普通百姓常奉為神明所派遣的使者化身。雷鳥最大的特徵是牠的羽毛會隨四季變化不同的顏色,夏天雄鳥為黑褐色、雌鳥為黃褐色。一到白雪覆蓋的冬天就會變成純白的保護色。350Please respect copyright.PENANA1HkfAlNywR
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高天原能見之並不太稀奇,明姬在意的是牠的反常行為,起先以為是牠受了傷,運用「治癒」沒效果後,就決定帶回村中讓大巫女審視;不過一遠離岩邊,白鳥掙脫了明姬的小手,再度返回那處東張西望,不逃也不正視明姬的存在。350Please respect copyright.PENANAmrBgR5XBPF
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「你在等人嗎?是神明派你來的嗎?」此時的她年紀尚輕,想法純真但已有高強的靈視術。350Please respect copyright.PENANAFwzXfP3Tkq
她不死心,也隨著白鳥在附近左顧右盼,落下的雪些許遮擋了她的視線,為了更好行動,她脫下身上的簑衣,只用手扶著頭戴的斗笠就到處走動,岩雷鳥這時才主動飛近她,佇停在她肩上:果然是在找東西!350Please respect copyright.PENANA1XiLCPQiEq
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如今她只能帶著牠一起找到牠想找的,也許是母鳥或是牠受傷的同伴?350Please respect copyright.PENANA73V5XJI9Ac
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雪不該越來越大的……向山靈請求,不論是誰在雪堆中等著我,都要平安無事。350Please respect copyright.PENANAmvxe5BqaIo
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陪著雷鳥已經繞了附近一圈了,依然無任何發現,到底是在等誰找誰?當她再度走回岩石旁,明姬有些失望地想穿上簑衣,結果……終於在右前方不遠處發現一團謎樣的白物,興奮之餘,她向那兒跑去。350Please respect copyright.PENANAu2mfDYGnry
「是個孩子?」同樣被白色的衣物蓋住,全身除了尋常的肌襦袢就沒有其它衣物。350Please respect copyright.PENANAHq3PhRTMFM
「妳振作點!」大聲的喚叫,如果眼前的女孩還活著,自己一定要救她!不間斷地使出「治癒」,金黃的光芒包覆住女孩兒全身。350Please respect copyright.PENANAGeAfjDqI82
350Please respect copyright.PENANAfsD6tIfIkU
「咳-咳!」無意識地女孩輕咳出聲,明姬這才放心,不過肩上的岩雷不知何時展翅飛離。350Please respect copyright.PENANA7XWewl2g49
「難道牠是想帶我找她嗎?」350Please respect copyright.PENANA22Px9IxRzL
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總之,明姬奮力地將小女娃兒抱回村中,見到的人無一不感到訝異。350Please respect copyright.PENANAVk7nr3EyXE
「大雪堆中找到的?還是個這麼小的娃兒?該不會是妖怪吧?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAGRDaodzXm0
「不可能吧?明姬怎會帶回妖怪呢?」350Please respect copyright.PENANABDZmYtvaqw
「那孩子會是高天原的人嗎?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAp4TIYIKe3F
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諸多留言開始傳開,明姬一回住處就趕緊熱湯粥,拜託人熬煮湯藥,自己再接著再使出「治癒」。350Please respect copyright.PENANA6XTfFx9rdz
350Please respect copyright.PENANAcc0oJqT3bq
「姊!妳上哪兒撿回的人啊?」比明姬更年幼,同是巫女訓練生的拂子越過眾姊妹來到明姬身旁幫忙。350Please respect copyright.PENANATjuxFVC4NI
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「也許是神指引的吧,幫我扶住……」350Please respect copyright.PENANA0JGeWqvZ08
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一個夜晚過去,小娃兒的呼吸總算穩定,但氣息尚弱,明姬放不下心闔眼。350Please respect copyright.PENANAYGcbr2BUTZ
「明姬,別再試了!」大巫女從她的背後出現。拂子在一旁早已睡去。350Please respect copyright.PENANA4aSpqtDuj4
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「大人……」350Please respect copyright.PENANAhRHItqQ6ks
「我看這孩子根本不該來這世上,氣息如此虛弱,怕是神明早就對她另有安排,妳不該阻擋她的命運!」350Please respect copyright.PENANA7lGplLEfZI
350Please respect copyright.PENANABREIl8p8Yj
「是雷鳥指引我找到她的,是神明要我盡全力看照她!大人,所以我要做!請您別阻止我!」明明仍是孩童的年紀,明姬的口吻卻早熟很多。350Please respect copyright.PENANAZdsrilJd9B
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「難道妳要撫養她嗎?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAyQdbp3ciKj
「我沒想那麼多,只是現在無法丟下她不管!」350Please respect copyright.PENANAlSIYJJ94vj
「儘管老身覺得她是妖異?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAs1S9njWGHG
「什麼?她怎會是……」350Please respect copyright.PENANACmVhIPllPs
大巫女不再多說,轉身離去:「隨妳去吧,老身並看不出她是妖怪,只是覺得大雪紛飛的夜裡,出現她並不單純……」350Please respect copyright.PENANAaQkVNXjEbq
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那天下午,緊閉雙眼的女娃醒了過來,明姬驚喜萬分:「太好了!」350Please respect copyright.PENANAounLrKmq1Y
女娃失去了記憶,不清楚自己的身世也不懂為何出現在雪堆中。350Please respect copyright.PENANAx6ZaY4SE5v
「那我替妳取個名字吧!我有個妹妹叫拂子,妳呢~也來當我的妹妹,叫真拂,好不好?」除了點頭外,女娃兒話也不多。350Please respect copyright.PENANATgdctHkIm5
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新來的妹妹,跟拂子相處時,因為其鬱鬱的眼神跟沉悶的個性相處並不融洽。350Please respect copyright.PENANADVsUh1logr
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有時還會因為跌倒在地就趴地不起,氣力虛弱到這種程度!拂子覺得要照顧她很麻煩,也常丟下她一人。350Please respect copyright.PENANAYWN1NR3NIe
350Please respect copyright.PENANAJT2JBX2Kte
某日,明姬完成「神樂舞」的練習正要返回居所更衣時,注意到真拂一人蹲坐在地遙望天邊,高天原山邊的景色因為白雪長年覆蓋,在陽光的照耀下閃爍著。350Please respect copyright.PENANAbcKdhAaq8V
明姬走近真拂身邊:「聽啊,雪融的細微聲響……生命將要復甦。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAVtcDAmKTSO
350Please respect copyright.PENANArNpv9R6aSa
真拂雙眼早已被光閃爍著張不太開,用一種卑微的眼神,苦悲地看向明姬問:「明姬姊~我到底從何而來?」350Please respect copyright.PENANASKPW4nqyOK
350Please respect copyright.PENANA8l6mNzMgFK
事實已經證明真拂不是妖怪,幾乎可以斷定是被遺棄的孩子,明姬坐在她旁,用沉穩的語氣告訴她:「妳來自高天原,是神明帶我找到妳的。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAbiQ9MHzzCC
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「那為何我與常人不同?」她指的是比普通人弱小許多的氣力,明姬也覺得奇怪,就算是體弱多病,但潛藏在真拂的靈魂裡的生命力(明姬等巫女感受得到)幾乎只有正常人的一半左右;不過,這不能代表什麼,就是天生如此也不一定。350Please respect copyright.PENANAkbMl6zFAuD
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「倘若妳真這麼在意,何不跟我與拂子一同修練?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAsa6ouZg0PR
「修練?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAUZLz8Gg3o3
「巫女的修行能提升人的體氣,精神力也能比尋常人強大,不過我不會勉強妳就是了……」350Please respect copyright.PENANAPCBHJyAIrR
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「妳是要我?成為巫女?……」真拂不敢相信自己聽到的。350Please respect copyright.PENANAfo5qqRsMGR
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「我反對!」向大家宣布這件事不久,馬上遭到親妹妹拂子的抗議。350Please respect copyright.PENANASW93tfT8NI
「巫女在高天原的地位是什麼,姊,妳收這樣來歷不明又沒資質的人當弟子會惹閒言的!」350Please respect copyright.PENANAaIflbbeA17
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「當巫女不是比靈力高下,只要能不帶邪念專一侍奉神,這樣的女人不就是巫女嗎?」350Please respect copyright.PENANAVLCToT4aZL
「我沒意見。」大巫女做出她的決定,除了拂子沒人還敢說什麼。350Please respect copyright.PENANAwT51MB2sQd
350Please respect copyright.PENANA9dIkDuZp7J
真拂不久就被儀式加賦,成為市子(要經過考核才能是正式巫女),明姬在耳邊告誡:「別再埋頭嘆氣了,從今以後妳將代表高天原,要不要成為真正的神使,決定權在妳!」350Please respect copyright.PENANAMlxEihBhtS
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是啊,自己渺小的靈魂因她而改變;必須成為明姬心目中的「巫女」才能夠回報她的恩情……350Please respect copyright.PENANAqPCZyNlPuk
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時間回到現在,三人吃驚望向白髮婆娑的大巫女,仔細一看連她的容顏也蒼老不少……350Please respect copyright.PENANAHQ9ZO6YXmT
「大人!您怎麼?」拂子摀住自己的嘴,不敢相信大巫女竟然一日之間成這模樣。350Please respect copyright.PENANAWRnCYUHTUH
「不是妳來找老身嗎?」大巫女拄著木棍,緩步現出全身走近他們。350Please respect copyright.PENANAM3sG5MQM0B
350Please respect copyright.PENANA649y4rKbKh
大巫女瞧了瞧那被抓住的異人一眼,說:「這個人啊,應該不是妖怪……遺憾我連他是否為人也瞧不出啊,身上沒半點人類該有的氣息;雖然存在值得讓人懷疑,但老身的靈感也快不行了,能預知你們來這兒已是最後……」350Please respect copyright.PENANAw0LO7jNAnu
「為什麼您會變成這樣呢?明姬呢?」拂子再問。350Please respect copyright.PENANAfYh5KphLme
「她去泉邊淨身,為明日的祭祀準備……老身明日就會將首席之位傳與她。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAKrve5TD7jt
「這麼快?姊不是還很年輕嗎?」350Please respect copyright.PENANA1EA25x6L7W
「再不傳就來不及了……唯有她能將責任完成,用她的生命了卻一切……老身已經無用了。」話畢,她欲走入岩戶,臨走時還說:「本想在外頭等明姬歸來,倘若已經沒事的話就趕緊回去吧,天如往常降下黑幕,卻再也不寧靜……」350Please respect copyright.PENANA61Zz6MldFI
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眾人只能打退堂鼓,佐誠依然把異人帶回小屋,倒是拂子對異人的存在還很在意:「應該要問問姊姊才是。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAsfcIEl439D
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真拂經歷今天的事,看著異人被懷疑的一切,則是想起自己的過往。350Please respect copyright.PENANAqfRzOhEMqM
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翌日,村中的氣氛顯得忙碌,莊嚴擺設不只局限一角,大家互助合作,幾乎是全村都成了神明的祭祀台,看得出高天原的每人都將迎神做為自己的工作。350Please respect copyright.PENANAPr7OEuOwVG
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「快搬酒來!」350Please respect copyright.PENANA9pO5w51sfw
「那邊的供品不行,再去重搬一台……」350Please respect copyright.PENANArw25LKS07h
「大人,該有的木工已完成的差不多,該通知大巫女一聲了。」350Please respect copyright.PENANAvA2KQWTKgV
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人來人往的嚷叫,彌彥這群外人今日是客,村人只將他們集中一處休息(隔離),他的義父倒是泰然自若喝酒等著,彌彥覺得很不安,就溜了出去。350Please respect copyright.PENANAhowXtMKk0B
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最後選擇獨自站在村外的樹上,看著如蟻般辛勤工作的村民,這兒也看得見義父人馬的移動。350Please respect copyright.PENANA0iDM1I71ju
350Please respect copyright.PENANAWCnWGXeXuN
這幾天義父也沒動靜,高天原那方瞧得出我們的代表是武將嗎?雖然此行的士兵不多,武器也只有刀劍,但這可都是義父精挑細選的高手啊。難道義父有想過最壞的情況非動武不可嗎?御令究竟會給高天原帶來怎樣的改變?350Please respect copyright.PENANABcU6kjsZZv
350Please respect copyright.PENANAhjDKRRDf5R
「樹上的偷窺狂!以山靈之名給我下來!」女孩金鈴般的喚聲,低頭一看才知是明姬的妹妹-拂子。350Please respect copyright.PENANAwgKluz2chH
350Please respect copyright.PENANAYrKtE942qF
「小孩兒別來打擾,快去忙去!」彌彥不耐煩地對她揮揮手。350Please respect copyright.PENANAZDJlQym0En
「我才懶得管你,但你們這些人不做事就別添亂!」她和一位扛著不少東西的少年站在一塊兒,彌彥尚未識得佐誠。350Please respect copyright.PENANAVT5HpI3gVv
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「拂子快走吧,我們還有事沒弄完。」佐誠勸著拂子,其實一開始是拂子硬要幫佐誠的忙才會出現在此,另外異人與真拂也替著佐誠分擔,只是現在不在這兒。350Please respect copyright.PENANACdNoXP3oz9
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「等等,問妳件事,今天是所有村莊的人會往這兒移動沒錯吧。」彌彥突然想到義父昨晚描述的,想再確認一次。350Please respect copyright.PENANADYXS0soyJs
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「那當然啦,今日不但只是祭典還事關重要『大巫女』之位的繼承,這不是大事嗎?」拂子口氣還是很高傲。350Please respect copyright.PENANACbJmtDsNdC
「是嗎?」他從樹上一躍而下。350Please respect copyright.PENANAKo5NyYRf1y
彌彥嘴角露出微笑,表情算是鎮定,脫口而出:「我問你們兩個,你們都是高天原土生土長的人沒錯吧?」350Please respect copyright.PENANADSrFy828EU
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拂子不禁給他白眼,佐誠點頭表示回答。350Please respect copyright.PENANAWM5dFSqZBb
「那麼……你們知不知道呢?關於自己家鄉的由來……和咱們中原可是大有關係。」
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