──「在妳墜落之前，我會先抵達。」
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就在紫苑將手從石板上收回的那一瞬，異變突生。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSIwyWUNZJ
霧氣以不自然的速度再度湧起，彷彿整座林地被封閉於一場靈壓共振的封層中。地面震動，靈藤開始活化，宛如有意識般地朝三人腳邊迅速蔓延。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTz9ClluPEs
伊萊斯立刻反應，抽出靈素結晶，於空中繪製護陣結界。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKKQVe4isL
「靈域反噬啟動──這不是單純遺跡殘留，而是活著的結界！」
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiF29rilXOj
紅蓮迅速衝到紫苑身旁，準備將她拉離中心位置，但一股強勁的靈流從地底竄出，將他們分離，紫苑瞬間失去重心──
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9W1knm6KU
她的腳下一滑，整個人朝一處塌陷的青苔裂谷跌落。
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「紫苑──！」
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紅蓮喊得幾乎撕裂嗓音。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumJc4pIQpT
他幾乎是以本能反應，魔力爆發，身形瞬移般追上她的墜落路線。那一刻，他看見她張開眼，瞳孔中閃爍著驚惶與慣性的麻木。
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她沒有喊救命。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTcBgWztA4
紅蓮心中一陣刺痛——她從來沒有喊過。
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因為她根本不認為自己會被救。
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22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrmAoDNlpm
他追上她，強行用靈力凝結一片浮空藤網，將兩人撞入其中。藤蔓劇烈扭動，劃傷他的背與肩，但他緊緊護住她的頭與脊椎。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWD4Gf6zFOf
兩人一同翻滾著跌進藤網深處，落地時，紅蓮幾乎是跪地的姿態將她擋在自己懷裡。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXDBN5urzq
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22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8h05hl3yq
紫苑呆了幾秒，才發現自己沒有摔痛，反而被穩穩地擁在懷中。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqD0PwHMDoc
紅蓮的氣息很近，他額頭抵著她的髮頂，呼吸急促，肩膀還在顫抖。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BWYKwdFNZ
「……你受傷了。」
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWX5aTUdFJ
紫苑低聲開口，伸手想推開他，卻被他握住手腕。
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紅蓮低下頭，聲音顫得不像話：
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「……妳為什麼不求救？」
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsrpMAjySi
「為什麼總是、總是自己扛──連墜下來都不呼喊……」
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfFtdTxG5J
「是誰教妳，妳不值得被拉住的？」
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紫苑怔住。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerCXDp6IHZ
紅蓮抬頭，眼裡是壓抑太久的憤怒與心疼。
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「我在這裡，紫苑。」
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr1fyfKDjL
「這一次……在妳墜落之前，我會先抵達。」
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22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3DC119Hfl
外頭的伊萊斯則已穩住靈陣，迅速分析地形變化，透過植物脈網找出通道，釋放出一片柔和的光藤導引結界，引領兩人自裂谷脫困。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5E0YQA9WeQ
他看見紅蓮護著紫苑踏出藤霧，臉色蒼白，手仍扣在她的肩上，彷彿還未從驚懼中走出來。
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvtKj7qDme
紫苑則低頭沉默，眼裡映出那護她而傷的傷痕，與那一句聲聲入骨的──「我在這裡」。
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而她心中悄悄有了第一個願望：
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她不想再成為，沒人接住的那一個。
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──「當火光點亮了她的臉，那群守著她的影子，也一一有了輪廓。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Wn7PICzbr
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—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwI7AzyL5E
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夜幕低垂。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNvVtnqS2Y
林中暫駐的營地重新聚合了所有人。火堆升起，將一整片潮濕與冷意驅逐出小小的圓心。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLo49AMfpG
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66OoG3dXsD
紫苑靜靜坐在一棵倒木邊，身上披著雷瑟遞來的獸皮披風，雖然沒說話，但比以往更安定。她身側的傷痕已被凱希爾處理過，細細綁上銀色水絲繃帶──那是深海族靈醫用於修復細微靈壓裂痕的專屬織線。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVt8rn33e62
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVdEczMuOa
凱希爾替她收拾最後一處傷口，語氣仍溫和卻明顯比往常低了一階：22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW00fU95ErF
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcW1Uqj74Dk
「下一次，請讓我走前面。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5NIuXirVW
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qV2Pjex7o
紫苑沒回答，只輕輕點了點頭。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZ3BhJhAeB
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5p7yDgWho
這次，她沒有閃避任何人對她的碰觸與凝視。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MN0iNdEYw
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—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcwzQ4YEPG
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雷瑟從營地外拖來獵物，熟練地處理獸皮與肉塊。他一邊烤肉，一邊望向紫苑的方向，忽然笑道：22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSoMuH6JL0
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YlwS7i1Dk
「這次可不能不吃了──我可是特地選了低魔素、不膩口的肉種。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAJ7OMsbY7
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0juQvZ0tqJ
「妳再不吃，我就真的以為我沒資格讓妳餓得下了。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuQSKNbiKe
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIY66uttXTS
紫苑低低地瞄了他一眼。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeu0SlexfQA
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「……我吃。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs20NiFi7dt
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo4T0IbR92
那一刻，雷瑟眼中閃過一絲訝異，但他沒多說，嘴角卻彎得極高。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lXBSF4qWZ
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紅蓮則坐在她對面，安靜地守著茶盞，一句話都沒說。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxh4NJmxPm
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvGMXZgxCj
但從頭到尾，他的眼從未離開紫苑的側影。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70W9BgTsaG
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SZMmbecUI
蒼芷與米雅坐在火堆另一邊，交換地圖與即將前往邊境的路徑情報。說到後來，蒼芷忽然停頓片刻，將視線落回那道細緻的身影。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymwZbZ8YEu
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dCoeLt4Qr
「……她在改變。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7pFcdzHtI
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLYO8secnn
米雅沒有立刻回應，而是輕聲道：22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTZVCQljNI
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2zZ4y9vT5
「不只是她。我們全都被她改變了。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseqV9cPlFA
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—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxeEsW1nNm
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托魯打了個呵欠，一邊磨劍一邊說：22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWogswWmYsG
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IQ0LOFv46
「我只是覺得，以前的紫苑像暗殺者，現在像……姐姐？」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA17EFCYamG
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGXrVaxPaT
艾貝爾頭也沒抬，淡淡道：22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LFsMm9uE6
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDT0QiwPltM
「那是妳認知有問題。她從沒變，只是我們開始看見了。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfYzjTKLaI
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—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpd1la3pH4i
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西芙則替紫苑整理披風時，低聲在她耳邊說：22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUKW6ersX3
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnv0fCNBJc5
「現在的妳，已經是我們的心臟。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJAMgNLUKL
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijfgo4vUQR
「所以不管發生什麼，我們都會繞著妳的脈動行動。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9z58QAUX2E
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMvwCompN8
紫苑聽不太懂這句話，但她沒反駁──她只是緊緊握著手中的湯盞，那是凱希爾替她準備的熱藥湯，藥味苦，但她喝得很慢，卻沒有皺眉。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeOVMrbK88
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—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdrF3hBhX4
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夜深了，火堆只剩餘燼。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAXse2bxnE
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfk0hMotLuN
伊萊斯獨自站在營地邊緣，仰望林間星隙。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVv7lCcdqL
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsTfk6RTkH
他像是察覺什麼，眉頭微微一皺，伸手輕撫身側植物──那瞬間，他感受到靈氣中的某一個方向，被強行割裂。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldP9xIQxqp
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUKPCLAKzO
有什麼，正自遠方疾行而來。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AnhPGnQRI
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzshzcsP8F6
伊萊斯低聲呢喃：22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkwm00u5kQ
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTQhEATd4H
「……氣息濁重，並非野獸。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ol1tFxpgk
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMf9GrngpU
「是來自……人類與魔素交織的意志。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7kAQn1kTY
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1SAaqN8eY
他轉身望向營火──那群人，那個女孩，仍沉浸在這得來不易的寧靜之夜中。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJIqA8mmEV
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他並未出聲。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDUMc9xA80
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只是輕輕摘下一片葉，在掌中揉碎，靜靜許下一句：22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RIowQMmZx
22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43n8Tt4ygL
「再給她一夜的平靜吧。」22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOTyLnj3hq
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—22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwureSe64ca
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但遠方的氣息，已悄然逼近。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aOVoQzAtF
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由禁咒與靈壓交織的灼熱之風，正在夜色中張開翅翼──22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfBI8TObnQ
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魔族的影子，即將現身。22Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRwCXpXCK2
