「繆兒?!」
遙遠島國的宮殿裡,外貌稚嫩的統治者獨自坐在玉座上,從惡夢中驚醒過來。眼見矇矓景色中親友肉體又再一次被紫黑色刀刃貫穿,這般光景即使是回到現實仍然是歷歷在目,直教他心有餘悸:「唉……又是這個夢嗎?」372Please respect copyright.PENANAL9kc7sFtqa
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然而,這次思緒卻不息地徘徊在這為同胞遠征別國的親友身上,就像感覺到他在遠方遭遇上什麼不測那般。372Please respect copyright.PENANAbDherR7fc9
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自艾斯托利克開國以來,紐爾和繆兒便是先王與初代皇家騎士團團長的寵兒,並以親友相稱。然而好景不常,有限的壽命相繼帶走了兩位建國英雄,使得記錄歷史、帶領子民以至保家衛國的重任都一一落到這兩位體型永不長大的「養子」身上。直到紐爾即位為王、繆兒亦執起統領眾騎士之重責之後,儘管紐爾刻意以操控歷史的力量淡化人們對他與繆兒長期在位的印象,他與繆兒貴為主神的身份,似乎仍是被大陸上野心勃勃的斯圖希安人識破。372Please respect copyright.PENANAaiu7jXxVxR
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儘管他如何暗自安撫自己,告訴自己那不過只是多餘的臆測,像繆兒這般德高望重、且驍勇善戰的開國功臣,定必不會輕易屈服於敵人手上,恐懼卻使紐爾不願施法打開繆兒長達百年的歷史實錄裡最後的數頁,再多麼深信他依然安然無恙,仍從一絲無名連繫之中,感覺到他身邊萬重威脅,猶如即將失去他一般。372Please respect copyright.PENANAtfmWoIRYuJ
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然而,深知繆兒是自己唯一心腹兼騎士團最高決策人,紐爾再如何不情願面對的殘酷現實,為了瞭解大局他亦不得不擦亮兩眼,望向記憶之泉裡面漸現的光景。372Please respect copyright.PENANAX04zI067dy
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努力讓繆兒身上每片特徵呈現腦海下,如明鏡般清澈的泉水裡便愈發清晰地顯出遠處剛成為過去的片段……372Please respect copyright.PENANAujAsXJiTBl
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被身穿灰黑軍服的軍人們強行押進光怪陸離的軍事基地裡、當成犯人關進囚室,繼而與成為兵器的派恩交戰。如此景象悉數投進紐爾澄藍雙眸裡,深深刺在他思想裡,間接讓他痛苦難耐,只求對方此刻安然無恙。幾乎被滿遍擔憂沖昏頭腦下,門外走來一名騎士團親衛隊衛兵,半跪跟前向紐爾呈報:372Please respect copyright.PENANAsx3vJAKe0S
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「主君大人!婭基昂絲的希羅大主教遠道到訪,說無論如何都要見主君大人一面。」372Please respect copyright.PENANACu2x0bSR2j
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眼見隨從不請自來,強行牽回理性思考的紐爾隨即換回一副君主權威對其下達命令:372Please respect copyright.PENANAno9KVVcIwn
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「知道了。你先給我聯絡跟隨繆兒團長的部隊,把握他們狀況之後再立即向我報告!」372Please respect copyright.PENANA6GpdKlXUOk
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其後,紐爾再次踏步回到謁見廳,安坐在玉座上,示意守衛們把從婭基昂絲遠道而來的領袖帶到面前。372Please respect copyright.PENANAdzJOhTlS5R
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過了一會,宮殿守衛們沿雙掩門兩側列陣,夾道歡迎鑲金白袍的老人與身邊兩名同披白衣、戴上尖頂兜帽的隨從入內。372Please respect copyright.PENANAFjP440DUox
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「艾斯托利克的君主啊,請原諒我們事出突然的來訪,但想必您亦得悉斯圖希安侵略我國一事。我們婭基昂絲現正處於水深火熱之中,請主君大人助我國一臂之力!」白袍老人先是領著倆隨從對紐爾鞠躬盡瘁,其後便把來由娓娓道來。372Please respect copyright.PENANAQXB1QzoB7z
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「希羅大主教,我亦明白貴國處境,然而我得悉斯圖希安軍亦擄走了我皇家騎士團團長一事,恐怕以我國兵力未必能助您們扭轉局勢……」372Please respect copyright.PENANAFSHw5Clotl
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「主君大人,既然您們親愛的騎士團團長被斯圖希安軍擄走,那就更有一個充分理由使用貴國改變歷史的秘術,扭轉如今局勢。」372Please respect copyright.PENANAusN98eUdC1
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改變歷史的秘術,自從破例為打救封印於以太峰頂的元素之神而發出之後,紐爾便誓言要把如此力量封藏,哪怕始界因戰爭人禍而覆滅,他亦不再妄然放出如此危害世界正常運作之力。372Please respect copyright.PENANA9wgXEplFUU
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「我國自從兩年前召喚主神艾普拉的召神儀式失敗之後,國力大衰……如今亦失去了策劃召神祭儀的老司教與『供品』,我亦恐怕短時間內沒法再舉行儀式讓主神艾普拉降臨了。」372Please respect copyright.PENANADWFam07bhL
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「艾普拉……沒記錯的話,那是貴國對創世神的稱呼對吧?」見對方提起「艾普拉」一名,不禁讓紐爾垂下頭來,嘗試摸索這位只聽說過其「創世神」一名、卻從沒現身過的神秘主神。372Please respect copyright.PENANAsTFgSyLxe2
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但無論如何,對方提出使用秘術扭轉局勢這個要求,在紐爾眼中絕對不是可行之策,當下他只想另覓他法打發這大主教離開此地。372Please respect copyright.PENANAsQygYopNqP
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「要麼這樣,您們先回去白絲冬一下,我們會盡可能安排援兵與物資到貴國戒備……」372Please respect copyright.PENANAlih46cEvav
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「可是,據聞您最近給一個藍色披風的男子授予改變歷史的秘法,難道就不能通融我們婭基昂絲一次嗎?」然而希羅大主教似乎看出紐爾無意向其借助改變歷史之秘術,便搬出先前阿爾法取去秘術力量的傳聞,加以說服:「再者,倘若斯圖希安真的成功攻下我國,您們大概就是他們下一個目標了,想必主君大人您亦不願看見始界大地被那些卑鄙小人蹂躪得生靈塗炭吧?」372Please respect copyright.PENANAdEsl3gjTtD
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「希羅大主教,改變歷史之秘術是我國一大禁術,妄圖以它改變既定事實,是我國最為重視的禁忌。希望您明白,即使是我國陷於存亡關頭,為了始界眾生的未來福祉我亦不得再亂用秘術改變歷史!」372Please respect copyright.PENANAs0ntFo3w18
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使用改變歷史的秘術會破壞始終兩界的法則,然而大主教顯然對此毫無概念,只能在紐爾堅決拒絕提供秘術之下,默默接受對方派兵支援的替代方案,稍帶懊悔與失落,領著倆貼身隨從踏出謁見廳。372Please respect copyright.PENANABxkMKOj24I
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好不容易下重語氣把大主教等人請離之後,紐爾又再一次在玉座上垂下頭來,深知不靠秘術、只以兵力與物資上支援婭基昂絲,在手握至少兩位主神的斯圖希安面前根本不足掛齒。然而如今斯圖希安甚至奪去自國政要,令艾斯托利克難逃一戰命運,在無法置身事外下,紐爾不得不再一次抬起頭,架起君主風範準備與一眾臣下密謀起備戰對策。372Please respect copyright.PENANAWqsnIqH6vA
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一再從從最新情報之中確認繆兒確實被斯圖希安軍隊以「非法帶兵入侵國土」罪名強行擄走一事,經過與臣僚們一番商議後,落日過後紐爾便對外公開如此一段宣戰佈告:372Please respect copyright.PENANA3m2MfyKhCd
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「各位艾斯托利克的忠僕聽住,有鑑於黑鐵之國斯圖希安公然挑釁我大艾斯托利克,無理拘留皇家騎士團團長繆兒,由即日起艾斯托利克將斷絕與斯圖希安一切外交來往,並正式將斯圖希安作敵對國看待,絕不姑息任何侵犯我艾斯托利克的舉動!」