火刑當日的,豔陽下的大雨下了整整三天,直到今日上午才停下。11Please respect copyright.PENANAEhTqHnK40u
不知何時,太陽默默地躲了起來,天空變得灰濛濛的。11Please respect copyright.PENANANsBZk7tHLz
11Please respect copyright.PENANAvlYMCqxN5d
信使的咳嗽越發嚴重,隨著他的移動,村內越來越多人開始咳嗽。11Please respect copyright.PENANABGXghH9US2
身上長出皮疹,不自覺痛苦地扭曲身體,有些人還發起了高燒。11Please respect copyright.PENANAwNjC83OGr7
11Please respect copyright.PENANAUg3CYgYPjL
瘟疫,到了。11Please respect copyright.PENANAF0olkE1cp8
11Please respect copyright.PENANAY59kKmUSQ0
早上,慣例的彌撒結束……11Please respect copyright.PENANAwwE0QCsEVt
說是彌撒,其實已經變成信徒們自己來教堂禱告,禱告完後就趕緊離去。11Please respect copyright.PENANAAObnx1soLQ
因為村內主持彌撒的米德魯神父如今正發著高燒,躺在家裡不能動彈。11Please respect copyright.PENANAn90b4f6yQz
11Please respect copyright.PENANAz3NsAfjRAj
阿嘉莎修女例行地跪在神子受難像前,虔誠地禱告,祈求上主能將下奇蹟,拯救村人……11Please respect copyright.PENANAYyppFsnpJt
11Please respect copyright.PENANAhAPwat6oWC
「……阿們。」11Please respect copyright.PENANAHZpFi1JW2q
11Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3VohUzSzR
禱告結束,阿嘉莎提起準備好的餐籃,往村莊偏僻的倉庫走去。11Please respect copyright.PENANA6lZPMBZFx6
路上冷冷清清,村民們大多數都躲在自己家中,除非必要否則都不外出。11Please respect copyright.PENANACixaj4Z4ks
遠遠地農地上,有些農夫正組織家人們迅速採收沒被泡爛的作物,儘管尚未成熟,但勉強還能吃……11Please respect copyright.PENANA6di97iEc5l
11Please respect copyright.PENANAMILeKBc9WO
倉庫邊,那位衛兵杜比斯已經離崗了,據說也得了病,正在家裡休息。11Please respect copyright.PENANAOboyiYL6oC
村長也沒有另外派衛兵來,因此將鑰匙交給了每天都會來送飯的阿嘉莎修女保管。11Please respect copyright.PENANAQZzOn8ghr9
11Please respect copyright.PENANAbkMxx2ksoH
如今已沒有人在看守魔女,自那次異象之後,許多人開始懷疑她可能真的是天使。11Please respect copyright.PENANAxUMMt18V7Q
11Please respect copyright.PENANApCNLaRre13
大概率不是,但萬一是呢?11Please respect copyright.PENANARtLjZcFk7N
這是目前村人們主流的想法。11Please respect copyright.PENANA4Bxblr56kr
而阿嘉莎,打算利用這個想法……11Please respect copyright.PENANAlVT96uP4UU
11Please respect copyright.PENANAk5uXdHjwIs
喀——11Please respect copyright.PENANAzs9ZqzJw1y
厚重的倉庫門被輕輕推開,阿嘉莎小心翼翼地闔上門。11Please respect copyright.PENANAbamE2KCXu8
11Please respect copyright.PENANA5NwAsNezCd
倉庫內,那位白髮的魔女依舊靠坐在牆邊閱讀她那本沒有封面的書籍。11Please respect copyright.PENANA33ILTz8I38
阿嘉莎終於忍不住了:「魔女小姐,您到底在讀什麼書呀?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAqxe2dB1tce
11Please respect copyright.PENANADm0TZOEY6x
聽到阿嘉莎的聲音,魔女微微抬起頭。11Please respect copyright.PENANANXutJUx4nC
「這本嗎?你可以自己來看看,這是怎麼樣的一本書。」11Please respect copyright.PENANArzLm8mvylI
11Please respect copyright.PENANAQurbmwEjv8
阿嘉莎隨手將餐籃放在木板箱上,走到魔女身旁蹲坐下來,靠過去看看那本書。11Please respect copyright.PENANAGvcT5VwnWc
「我看看……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAFfLqtnl8PY
書本上面畫著各式各樣奇妙的圖形,看起來像寶石的小點們在微微塗黑的紙上被排列成各種形狀——就好像,夜空中的星星一樣。11Please respect copyright.PENANAMq7cUVeuIR
一旁還標註上印刷出來的不知名的異族文字,阿嘉莎讀不懂,她伸出手指指著其中一個圖案。11Please respect copyright.PENANAIctPnXILI7
「這個是什麼?」11Please respect copyright.PENANA2I2Ekp3YIX
「星相……你手指的這個,叫『大熊』,瞧……」魔女也伸出白皙的手指,在圖像上劃了過去:「有沒有像一隻熊?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAg0FeRpqGc2
「真的,好神奇!」阿嘉莎臉上帶著孩童獲得新知般的笑容,不過她馬上想到了另一個問題:「感覺很厲害,但……這有什麼用?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAA3pLGABwYR
「呵呵……看到熊尾巴了嗎?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAeNisiPGDS4
「嗯。」11Please respect copyright.PENANA1D0B3Egiii
魔女指著「大熊」的尾部,然後向旁延伸點距離,指著圖案上另一個小點:「這個叫北極星,春夏時可以透過這種方式找到。對旅行者和水手們來說,可以用來辨識方位。」11Please respect copyright.PENANAHWSGwO0sc0
阿嘉莎點了點頭。11Please respect copyright.PENANAEgoNAWoiHr
「那對你來說呢?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAjbNf1KUzCq
「呵呵,對我來說,用處可就大多了……比如,預測未來……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAIAkngC8AZp
「預測未來?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAS1gIt91Ko5
魔女閉著眼,沒有回答。11Please respect copyright.PENANAulfFV1cFHf
「魔女小姐?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAxD9Yjq1Bbq
魔女睜開眼,看了看阿嘉莎。11Please respect copyright.PENANAFEJA5Fn2AM
「占星……你聽過嗎?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAvh28SVYbu7
「聽過。」11Please respect copyright.PENANA8wNhtSt9an
「那可是項很有趣的活動……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAwVqgAsaqwK
11Please respect copyright.PENANA4an7Va1PoE
啪——11Please respect copyright.PENANAUwejhieS6p
魔女闔上書本。11Please respect copyright.PENANACSTAvSFgFx
11Please respect copyright.PENANAphcD9r6DJY
「你應該不是來找我聊天的吧,小修女?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAUIuJtufWnZ
11Please respect copyright.PENANAfn2RV5ImiM
聽到這句,阿嘉莎突然想起原本的目的。11Please respect copyright.PENANAAvTGHtnTZX
「啊對……抱歉。」11Please respect copyright.PENANAV3RuFJnzMT
她趕忙整理起食物,遞給魔女。11Please respect copyright.PENANAGVhxL9560Y
看著慢悠悠吃著東西的魔女,阿嘉莎猶豫了一會,像是在下定決心。11Please respect copyright.PENANAsr21hchvi8
「魔女小姐,你不是說……你可以阻止瘟疫嗎?」11Please respect copyright.PENANALGqjoVJeFU
「嗯,種摸了(怎麼了)?」魔女嘴裡含著食物,咬字不清地回覆。11Please respect copyright.PENANAEJ1E1InkVZ
「聞言已經傳播到村裡了……我希望你……你可以幫幫我們……」11Please respect copyright.PENANA4DGQIfaNRH
魔女停下進食,抬頭看向阿嘉莎。11Please respect copyright.PENANA8quuCtUf3R
阿嘉莎慌亂地擺擺手。11Please respect copyright.PENANA2gdweWtU2t
「啊不,抱歉……你才剛從火刑架上下來,大概不是很愉快吧……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAYcyAzzH8iU
阿嘉莎低著頭,她感覺自己其實沒什麼臉求魔女幫助村莊。11Please respect copyright.PENANA3Xgbs7bC4T
「好,帶我去。」11Please respect copyright.PENANAPjUvlLSOMs
「果然……沒關係的,不願意的話。但已經有人……有人覺得你真的是……什麼?你剛剛說什麼?」11Please respect copyright.PENANA7GO2BBWbHH
阿嘉突然意識到魔女的回答。11Please respect copyright.PENANAEhsObA3i7Y
「我說,帶我過去吧。」11Please respect copyright.PENANAhiFMqq9e6g
魔女微笑著抬起手,將鐐銬露出……11Please respect copyright.PENANAQGmWrLK3dv
11Please respect copyright.PENANAdBcZlaoUVd
之後,阿嘉莎替魔女解開鐐銬,讓她重新活動活動後,帶著魔女去往米德魯神父的家。11Please respect copyright.PENANA9xQKPZ3lXz
一路上避開村民,不過因為人很少,很輕易就做到了。11Please respect copyright.PENANA5qfHE4Gf35
米德魯神父的住所位在教堂旁,並沒有多起眼,和村民們的房屋差異不大。11Please respect copyright.PENANAzrvHl0JStd
11Please respect copyright.PENANAvtbzyJxLPr
禮貌性地敲了敲門,阿嘉莎推開木門,進到屋內。11Please respect copyright.PENANAOpOJjoKr2m
塞繆爾正坐在床邊的椅子上打瞌睡,這幾天都是他在照顧著米德魯。11Please respect copyright.PENANAfXp08ArapT
「呼……呼……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAtcRke66Ziy
「塞繆爾大人?」阿嘉莎輕輕碰了碰塞繆爾,不過沒有反應:「塞繆爾大人!」11Please respect copyright.PENANAtZmkgetll7
「嗚喔!」11Please respect copyright.PENANAlYFdySzKF0
11Please respect copyright.PENANALLOZMxh4wi
碰!11Please respect copyright.PENANAffoV5cYmQY
11Please respect copyright.PENANAwaNAVMMPMD
嚇得塞繆爾猛地一動,整個椅子翻倒,他也摔落在地。11Please respect copyright.PENANADuw9b00hA9
「呃……痛痛痛……怎麼回事?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAb8EAspB5JE
「我帶了,魔女小姐……她說她能治療神父……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAySw0YhpdWK
塞繆爾稍微側身,看到阿嘉莎從身後進屋的魔女。11Please respect copyright.PENANAEIpISDT8IB
魔女朝他做出優雅的微笑和行禮……11Please respect copyright.PENANAZgJbrXfYJj
11Please respect copyright.PENANA8FQNxOhlmd
魔女輕輕抬起米德魯神父的手,檢查他的狀況。11Please respect copyright.PENANAUllkQvBStg
「發燒……高溫……嗯,正常的反應……不過比較輕微……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAvi6jBSSscl
她嘴裡唸唸有詞。11Please respect copyright.PENANAKpUe4eFIPd
「沒皮疹?奇怪……不對,誤差正常……每個人狀況不同……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAoCRGv5CxjL
她說的很小聲,阿嘉莎和塞繆爾都沒聽清楚。不知道在說些什麼,大概是在檢查米德魯神父的狀況。11Please respect copyright.PENANAfsHUh0AONk
11Please respect copyright.PENANAy0HdA50AGq
一會後,魔女放下神父的手。11Please respect copyright.PENANAXMgIZYLNeW
「嗯嗯……小修女?」11Please respect copyright.PENANApWSXfff6FL
「我在。」11Please respect copyright.PENANA7U2934C3gM
「有紙和筆嗎?」11Please respect copyright.PENANAZS4TcjyI96
「我有,我給你,等等……」11Please respect copyright.PENANAurwyfz9KGq
塞繆爾從胸口的口袋裏拿出一本小冊,從裡面撕下一張紙,又拿了隻羽毛筆給魔女。11Please respect copyright.PENANAEy0acaUrY2
魔女在紙上寫了些詞彙,然後遞給阿嘉莎。11Please respect copyright.PENANAsCIM5t18mm
「拿去,把這些藥材合起來,就可以治好得病的人了。」魔女笑著說道。11Please respect copyright.PENANAhpDmdz8EED
「這麼簡單啊……」塞繆爾有些不可置信。11Please respect copyright.PENANAm9FFvGVUuV
「呵呵,就是這麼簡單。」11Please respect copyright.PENANAInu5zJxlN0
11Please respect copyright.PENANAud9ZEO8z52
不過阿嘉莎沒有回應,她盯著紙上的字好久。11Please respect copyright.PENANApEQrK2O7E5
「怎麼了嗎,小修女?」11Please respect copyright.PENANArdHsr9nxFO
「那個……我看不懂……」11Please respect copyright.PENANArbz52WaqkD
阿嘉莎把紙條遞回去。11Please respect copyright.PENANAeM2CLQkycZ
上面寫的詞彙,全部都是奇怪的符號,應該說,異族文字。11Please respect copyright.PENANAaRpP38FOBa
魔女愣了一下,但迅速接過紙條,劃去上面的詞彙,重新寫了一遍。11Please respect copyright.PENANApymjzliht5
這次阿嘉莎看得懂了。11Please respect copyright.PENANAM3uvc6j0pj
11Please respect copyright.PENANAo42UppLWZe
隨後,阿嘉莎和塞繆爾用這個藥方配置出藥來,然後用米德魯神父做實驗。11Please respect copyright.PENANAcaDpZThgMm
兩天後,神父的病好了……11Please respect copyright.PENANAmmSgFVnD7p
接著,又過一個禮拜,村人們服用藥物後通通痊癒了。11Please respect copyright.PENANAKla58T4muQ
彷彿瘟疫從來沒有來過一樣。11Please respect copyright.PENANAtAOO0HwyPf
11Please respect copyright.PENANA6I5VznhvNu
在阿嘉莎的請求下,病好起來的米格魯神父答應組織村民一起製藥。11Please respect copyright.PENANAMoN6gaKvIc
一個月後,東、西和南邊疫情也緩和了,得病的人吃過藥後很快便恢復過來。11Please respect copyright.PENANAmJ3JQ64mgJ
11Please respect copyright.PENANAAKMrd2i9Ex
人們歡呼著,紛紛相信魔女並非魔女——而是上主的使者。11Please respect copyright.PENANAMZQztqzE2T
她不再被囚禁,而是移動到阿嘉莎修女的住所暫住,也能自由活動。11Please respect copyright.PENANAF2Bl3i5cN2
她是這裡第一起翻案的魔女被告……11Please respect copyright.PENANAEX74q1HBw7
11Please respect copyright.PENANAzVj6kCT3af
11Please respect copyright.PENANAbI9L1oSOa8