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354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDCiLZrDPB
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptIobKNSmo
隨後的幾天，我幾乎都待在〈白城〉城堡花園摸熟四周的環境。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLRgXs57mv
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Xm6bWb3hz
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmMQuDgV2j
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigtG6pndrz
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxyjq1jLQ4
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oOBUTbTC4
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFZ0i6WFlT
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP12gSpccHc
過了一會後，房門被打開的聲音傳入我耳中。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8HKBLqhmL
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrkHl0ZTUH
框啷！354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXgZuM7Ubd
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsH1uNXs6z
清脆的撞擊聲隨之響起。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2ks71QQMf
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiEklViGZd
框啷！354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1maWyJbwil
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5PAOQ7sh2
我光用聽的就曉得來者的身分。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3hD2zpOYd
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjJR8ZwOb9
「早安，吉莎小姐。」我抬起頭朝聲音來源的方向打招呼。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkU4Nfx3hG2
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLkqativeF
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAFIRsdLNt
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgUqHrLz5d
「請用早點，海倫娜閣下。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNwvuhmpCk
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsiA9hSkfl
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqicYqaRFOm
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yA714Dqri
「不好意思，吉莎小姐。」我對她說：「我就不享用餐點了。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfLYIYohMY
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnbxwC94fz
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJ2ldi390E
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98vcO12fLW
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFR0td9alCM
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwfqafdade
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhy7zUcpmie
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBFEOIF8pO
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAXSIAOwd3
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrFYTaNxP5
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGes7CJZKz
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlb5TJ0Pzj
「咦？這話的意思是——」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPqXviTeNJ
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkRWFgXtD3
「您品嚐一口便知，直接用手取食即可。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXltn8oiATn
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbQDdg6jIo
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXNYpnhGjX
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gy4BSUhQ4
「請問還合您的胃口嗎，海倫娜閣下？」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nO7B9WsgB
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSsUlcLlhU
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2O2FHcrEcL
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGnmgHeiiV
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYos5Llhxb
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CK8OkGOTA
「是的，我想這種食物應該不會......違背赤足修院的教義。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BrW3C90m9
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFPfrXoiPT
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjrsugZD5t
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNqYlsC3KB
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd31maXTrek
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hJCRKmEOC
「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。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELCGR2cG4O
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQelwKXmHT
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTBPyAux7E
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsl1yarSYgG
「總之，我就不打擾您用餐。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznD86zuaex
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSbv5nAUtm
語畢，陶杯之間的撞擊聲再度響起。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzLUY5blEW
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpUlRX3E6F
這次它是逐漸離我遠去，代表吉莎正要離開房間。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRQPZ0dydP
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW6ugbhKnE
「對了，吉莎小姐。」我出聲叫住她。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyskqhxhftL
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7nJVyfqql
「請問有什麼吩咐嗎？」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnBjKncyQU
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7bRr3f9r1
「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？」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XC8l7RbSx
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0oQmnIa8K
「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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRaTWuopp3
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPfpQqlayzS
「有沒有更加私人一點的東西呢？」我再問。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJ5d9EdRzJ
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDx21VBh7ln
「假如殿下的行為更可靠一點，我就不會這麼累了。」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YlCTuzcnl
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHZnxkeHpv
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！354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAb6lTtVmE6
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8YlarZRE7
「真要說的話......孩子......吧？」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO42NLOuzlF
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwijghT1kp
沉默了一會兒，吉莎才以淡淡的口吻低語。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTG59ICsrc
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeN01bKKBb
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEwtU0S9mC
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTx92ZEXuW
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。354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrAQEY3hLxU
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHY3V9RmLt
所以——354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrRCuxCS9u
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oxnrrrx4L
「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......」354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CA1hEV59v
354Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAttTCutHm
所以，這句意義不明話我大概是聽錯了吧？
