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隨後的幾天,我幾乎都待在〈白城〉城堡花園摸熟四周的環境。355Please respect copyright.PENANAXrXMYcEDSR
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等到我對這座花園的地形瞭若指掌後,我向王子殿下的貼身女侍——吉莎小姐——借了鏟子和其他工具,並且向她表示我想重整花園的意願。她一言不發就同意我的請求,甚至還派了幾名侍女協助我進行翻土作業。355Please respect copyright.PENANAdderFkSn05
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雖然吉莎小姐講話的口吻總是冷冰冰的,還時常對身旁的人或事物做出尖酸刻薄的評論,但我卻能在許多小地方感覺得到她的細心,就像她替我們準備餐點時所展現出的專注和洞察力一樣。355Please respect copyright.PENANA3JmmdAfu3I
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某天早上,殿下起床後正好去外頭做野獸人宗教的晨間禮拜,而我則一個人待在房間內對至尊陛下做晨禱。355Please respect copyright.PENANAyKI6I7HUdZ
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過了一會後,房門被打開的聲音傳入我耳中。355Please respect copyright.PENANAuIndYSocmB
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框啷!355Please respect copyright.PENANAbhjb4xcmJk
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清脆的撞擊聲隨之響起。355Please respect copyright.PENANAWwaDg60WME
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框啷!355Please respect copyright.PENANAbqNuPnRB2V
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我光用聽的就曉得來者的身分。355Please respect copyright.PENANAbdpmolrpuw
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「早安,吉莎小姐。」我抬起頭朝聲音來源的方向打招呼。355Please respect copyright.PENANABx9p4JikFq
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據說吉莎的腰上系著一條皮製腰帶,腰上還掛著兩只小陶杯以及一個銅製壺器,裡頭總是裝著殿下愛喝的飲料。每當她走動一步,掛在腰間上的陶杯就隨之震動,發出叮叮噹噹的清脆聲響。355Please respect copyright.PENANASIcJr3AN9k
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「請用早點,海倫娜閣下。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAgnieVZ8rAT
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吉莎缺乏抑揚頓挫的嗓音自我面前響起,隨即傳來的則是陶碗與陶盤擺在地面時發出的清脆聲響。355Please respect copyright.PENANAt6hQGwP8ny
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「不好意思,吉莎小姐。」我對她說:「我就不享用餐點了。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAK079N4TINZ
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「喔,這又跟人類的宗教有關了?聽說叫做暴食罪啥的......除了病人或勞動階級之外,普通人不應該吃早餐。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAj6yQSDNnME
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「妳言重了。我們修女在隱修院內時常得做體力活,所以起床晨禱後會吃點東西果腹。出於宗教因素而禁用早餐一事其實是誤傳,最近也越來越多人習慣在早上吃東西了。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAHzXldQgKoy
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「可是奧絲雅閣下一開始很反對吃早餐,當初是我和殿下好說歹說她才接受的。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAPz1d3ctz8d
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「她原本就是一名貴族,而且還是來自非常傳統保守的貴族家庭,因此不吃早餐相當符合她的身分地位。」我向吉莎解釋:「但您這裡提供的恐怕皆是宮廷料理,我身為至修女不該食用那麼精緻奢華的食物。我吃我自己帶來的麵包就好。」355Please respect copyright.PENANACVSNxtCWKu
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「請放心,我特別為海倫娜閣下準備了符合您原本『身分地位』的食物。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAiH8WYMTgAR
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「咦?這話的意思是——」355Please respect copyright.PENANAdjx98ykMHG
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「您品嚐一口便知,直接用手取食即可。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAbvCZnVNihW
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我伸出手,摸到一種薄如聖體餅的扁形麵包,放進嘴裡咀嚼時平淡無味,適度軟嫩的餅皮卻不會乾硬得難以下嚥。吉莎還同時準備了添加奶酪和酸奶飲料,替這道菜增添一點風味。355Please respect copyright.PENANAMbsDCImuZI
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「請問還合您的胃口嗎,海倫娜閣下?」355Please respect copyright.PENANAARW42F9woz
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「非常美味。」我誠實以對,「這餅的味道樸素得宛如黑麥麵包,卻又帶有一股異國風情。我從未吃過這種東西。」355Please respect copyright.PENANADu4DdONM3C
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「這是獸族常吃的一種家常餅,通常他們會佐以肉湯汁、鷹嘴豆泥或芝麻醬等配料搭配著吃。獨自食用的話它的口感稍嫌單調,不過正好符合您的需求。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAkcoCMVpYvo
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「是的,我想這種食物應該不會......違背赤足修院的教義。」355Please respect copyright.PENANATIaKNQqjAW
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「我當然也會準備您過去在修道院吃的麵包或蔬果,午餐或晚餐則提供清淡的白米粥或肉粥配青菜沙拉。但我勸您最好開始習慣獸族的飲食習慣,畢竟您現在有一半的身分是殿下的母獅。請您別忘記這一點。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAl5P5OjhCiW
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「我知道了,謝謝妳這麼費心。」我深深地點頭致意,說:「想必王子殿下待人時展現出來的細心之舉,鐵定是從吉莎小姐那耳濡目染學來的。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAPFT43dIpKk
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「哼,如果您這麼當面稱讚王子殿下,那孩子會得意忘形起來,尾巴啪噠啪噠地甩來甩去。」355Please respect copyright.PENANA4j9HSGHM9e
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嗯?我記得奧絲雅也說過同樣的話。我暗暗心想著,獅子尾巴有那麼惹人注目嗎?真讓人好奇。355Please respect copyright.PENANAJZ2rWTEXcU
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「總之,我就不打擾您用餐。」355Please respect copyright.PENANAzMFnzn9leM
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語畢,陶杯之間的撞擊聲再度響起。355Please respect copyright.PENANAPdTnV7N9gV
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這次它是逐漸離我遠去,代表吉莎正要離開房間。355Please respect copyright.PENANAqc9o9o8Vk4
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「對了,吉莎小姐。」我出聲叫住她。355Please respect copyright.PENANAkVG0bUhTeo
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「請問有什麼吩咐嗎?」355Please respect copyright.PENANAss84sOX8mQ
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「這麼問或許有些唐突——」我猶豫了幾秒,接著才開口問道:「您有什麼希望得到或期望的事物嗎?」355Please respect copyright.PENANANiLod0qIwJ
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「假如殿下順利成為獸族帝國的皇帝,我就感到謝天謝地了。」她立刻回答我。355Please respect copyright.PENANAtFXNEJy277
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「有沒有更加私人一點的東西呢?」我再問。355Please respect copyright.PENANAVwyfPZbBXg
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「假如殿下的行為更可靠一點,我就不會這麼累了。」355Please respect copyright.PENANA023gJlK0zt
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吉莎的期望之物感覺跟殿下有所關聯,看來她真的很在乎對方!355Please respect copyright.PENANAezMR3yw2pZ
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「真要說的話......孩子......吧?」355Please respect copyright.PENANAB2Z8ftDs87
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沉默了一會兒,吉莎才以淡淡的口吻低語。355Please respect copyright.PENANA0rDxNefB65
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聽見這個回答,我不由地露出微笑。看來她就跟其他普通女孩子一樣,渴望著美滿的家庭人生。355Please respect copyright.PENANA3Ii1LY5qHJ
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緊接著,兩只陶杯輕碰彼此的聲音重新迴盪起來,吉莎卻仍在喃喃自語著,不過我幾乎快聽不見她模糊的聲音了。355Please respect copyright.PENANA8qq5d3jbAj
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所以——355Please respect copyright.PENANAalW3lrJNBQ
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「假如妳和奧絲雅能懷上王子殿下的孩子,也許能讓他更成熟一點。呵呵呵......」355Please respect copyright.PENANAFQ0gm99tUb
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所以,這句意義不明話我大概是聽錯了吧?