
一股突如其來的暖流入侵了沉沉的夢境。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAPQIHPnPCcW
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAKhtOwP7xKZ
周圍的溫度似乎越來越高,彷彿置身於浴場的蒸氣室一樣悶熱。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1ShdJ06zd
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAafV2kRa58f
沒過多久,一層黏膩的汗意逐漸包裹住身子。這層汗就像是個不透風的罩子似的,使得體內的溫度越來越高,直到讓人受不了為止。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAZuDfgbsX2k
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAnMaH8P74fS
「嗚嗯......好熱......!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAGR4fP7zehk
1508Please respect copyright.PENANApNdixnoEZT
烏爾莉卡.西蒙納多蒂爾(Ulrika Símonardóttir)正是在如此不適的情況下被熱醒過來。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAUKs65MQPZi
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAdHarSSQnjP
幾乎是同一時間,她驚覺周遭的景色和物品全變了樣!1508Please respect copyright.PENANAY6sS9RaBEd
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAx551EK1zAU
裝潢奢華的寬敞臥房——消失了,映入眼簾的是個坪數不大的幽暗小空間。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAAaqFv7OOxh
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAMFt2ZPC2sz
高級絲綢所製成的床鋪——也不見了,反而變成一張觸感陌生的羊毛地毯。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAZv0kmLeAHl
1508Please respect copyright.PENANA43D6Vh5SIF
窗外大雪紛飛的銀白色世界——更是消逝得無影無蹤,取而代之的是一顆熾熱的黃色火球掛在天上,滾燙的正午陽光直接透過窗口撒在她身上。1508Please respect copyright.PENANA643tjgUt3N
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAKtJxV8Fw40
天翻地覆的改變,讓烏爾莉卡的腦袋一時反應不過來。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAyN3W0mAPhD
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAm6LHXRCQA8
「我是誰?我在哪?我在幹甚麼?」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAWBJti9oL8E
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAZtLQ8Vmb91
烏爾莉卡感到口乾舌燥、呼吸急促,有點換不過氣來。她的手緊緊的抓住胸口的衣服,想減輕痛苦,但酷暑般的天氣令她感到渾身都不對勁,更別說穿在身上的羊毛衣都被汗水給浸濕了。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAzvz8fF8oS5
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAH7g8bOFmzW
「我......這裡是......在哪裡?」她低聲呢喃著。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAk7180X1mUi
1508Please respect copyright.PENANALWcCoV6rmy
烏爾莉卡一隻手撫著額頭,一隻手撐起身子,並感受到從指尖傳來羊毛地毯舒適柔軟的觸感。這張毛毯的顏色又紅又花,不論樣式或織法皆是她所沒見過的。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAffUjJHG8lG
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAWMcu4nLr8D
「嗚嗯,身子怎麼會酸成這樣!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAVVmOHT78WT
1508Please respect copyright.PENANApyuTwfMufa
不過還沒來得及佩服編織者精緻的技藝,烏爾莉卡隨即感覺到背和腰傳來陣陣痠痛,這大概是因為她還未適應睡地板上的緣故。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAJIkLDwgouF
1508Please respect copyright.PENANApniDf8uGjs
為了減緩身體上的疼痛,她環顧四周觀察環境來分散注意力。1508Please respect copyright.PENANA6pReP1d1ov
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAwRoLOgEL8F
烏爾莉卡發覺自己正躺在一間只有幾坪大的矮房內,房子本身是由光滑的石頭和泥土所打造。房間內沒有椅子,只有幾顆枕頭和一張圓形的木製矮桌。而且這棟矮房的窗戶沒有窗扇或窗簾,基本上沒有任何遮蔽功能。這和烏爾莉卡家鄉為了保暖和阻擋寒氣,而將幾乎都窗戶的設計封死相差甚遠;顯然是跟此地炎熱的天氣有關。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAcdU45voj6h
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAqMJH5DL49B
也因為如此,陽光毫無阻礙地透入這一間低矮的土房,照在烏爾莉卡身上。1508Please respect copyright.PENANA2UakYEoY8S
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAnWpoie72Be
身處於遙遠的異地,無論氣溫或氣味都極為陌生。唯獨從窗外飄來的海風帶來一點鹹味為烏爾莉卡帶來一絲慰藉,因為那是和她家鄉唯一的相似之物。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAFR6B1AlerZ
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAj7in75KKj7
然而,烏爾莉卡人生中最重要的聯繫——她的女兒——竟在當下完全不知去向。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAProAbyZp92
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAVbvZUduKiG
「莎薇?莎薇怎麼不見了!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAIuoj4Xfc0M
1508Please respect copyright.PENANA5pYYhrhyEo
烏爾莉卡的女兒——名叫莎薇的十歲女兒——她本來應該睡在她身邊。可是醒來後,她竟然卻完全不知去向,房間內也不見她的身影。1508Please respect copyright.PENANA8V5K2NrGeC
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAG4tdkCRHPA
「這孩子跑哪兒去了?莎薇!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAv5c1TqVtOM
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0NnpEtsbC
烏爾莉卡立刻衝到房外,來不及穿鞋的她仍打著赤腳,身上也僅僅穿著一件極為貼身的室內用羊毛衣。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAVOxFUAYuPP
1508Please respect copyright.PENANA2ODbTavlo2
首先映入眼簾的,是坐落於山腳下的巨大海灣,數百艘大大小小的船隻停泊於海灣之中,它們或駛入、或離港,看起來好不忙碌。緊接著的是一望無際的海洋在眼前展開,一直延伸至連結著廣裘無際藍天的視野盡頭。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAJqNHq6FTWL
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAGcD4Ab96rv
這座城市本身位於一個海灣的西岸,城市內所有的建築物沿著山坡上升,密密麻麻、層層疊疊的地分布著各個房屋和街區。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAMi4HN0NqGs
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAniAnINGoXp
至於烏爾莉卡所居住的這棟低矮民房,就跟其他數百棟房屋一樣比鄰而居地蓋在山坡上頭。它們皆通通皆是由純白色的石塊建造而成,耀眼的白色石塊推砌於山坡上,錯落層疊的幢幢白屋、片片白牆、塊塊白屋頂,白牆鑲嵌雕花鐵窗,白屋裝飾雕花大鐵門,呈現出迴異於烏爾莉卡家鄉的異國風情。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAXS6njRdHMy
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAAqJMyAkuNn
只不過在這個當下,烏爾莉卡完全沒將這幅獨特的美景放在眼裡——心急如焚的她心中只有女兒,那也是她人生中唯一在乎的事情。1508Please respect copyright.PENANA7FBgXJ9Qbx
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAk0wEpNoPi1
「莎薇?莎薇!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAUt6F9Crylu
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAUxYQfP3luq
她環顧四周,只差沒出聲高喊出女兒的名字。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAOPzckLXCx3
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAo70qsT7mxM
「啊,您已經睡醒了嗎?」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAEbRDwM2iVX
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAvpTr6aLMV8
正當烏爾莉卡心亂如麻之際,清脆的男孩嗓音自她背後傳來。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAgtcbbA7lZZ
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAjm7wivQY4F
轉過身,她看見一名少年;甚至稱之為男孩都不為過。他雙手各提著一桶水,望著烏爾莉卡的臉上露出些許驚訝。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAewLUbcSSKP
1508Please respect copyright.PENANA0l20nOe5zz
少年的年紀絕對不超過十二歲,肌膚色呈小麥色,搭配瘦小卻精壯的身子,散發出一絲野性氛圍。帶有亮澤烏黑的自然捲頭髮下,點綴著端正清秀的五官。雙烏黑明亮的雙目,像是從夜空墜落凡間的兩顆星星。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAwcjMkq4SVX
1508Please respect copyright.PENANA7z7iwfKdxP
不過最引人注目的,或許是他頭頂上一對橢圓狀的大獸耳、一根臀部上方探出來如掃帚般的長尾巴,默默訴說初他身為一隻『斑點鬣狗獸人』的事實;烏爾莉卡這輩子沒見過斑點鬣狗這種動物,但她猜想這種『狗』的耳朵和尾巴大概就長得一個樣吧?1508Please respect copyright.PENANAaReBVr6L1i
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAN1whDvcW9U
「嗯,怎麼了嗎?」鬣狗少年問。1508Please respect copyright.PENANALwMyIqUXgk
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAHuuKwKtRdP
「你是......」1508Please respect copyright.PENANArMS63Ntldj
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAQwazU2Knfy
「我是艾塔奇(Aytaç),您是不是睡昏頭了?」自稱為艾塔奇的鬣狗少年邊說邊露出靦腆的微笑,他道:「請稍等一下,我馬上就去燒水做午飯。」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAJM1SNCmgDF
1508Please respect copyright.PENANA1PrBBhXAZZ
「......不對,莎薇呢?」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAvRHZC4UqKB
1508Please respect copyright.PENANA0g8ttdHuy1
「咦?」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAAXbHIMuRYi
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAV7fEoZzPLR
「你把我女兒藏到哪去了!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANA1NdypS9zL0
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAxW33MawdrK
「等、等一下,您是不是搞錯什麼了?」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAhEmiK01Mhi
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAN7bVE7uPba
這時烏爾莉卡衝上前,雙手掐住艾塔奇的衣領,以用壓倒性的氣勢將對方扯了過來。他手中的桶子隨之翻倒,水桶內的水也全撒了出來。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAz1CAzm2GUC
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAeW8KR1vPQP
「莎薇人呢?快點告訴我!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANABsEdviSInA
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAEZwdTaT05H
烏爾莉卡並沒有對著少年大聲嘶吼或咆哮——不管是出於她天生穩重的個性所致,抑或是後天貴族教育的成果——但這名年輕的母親一字一句,咬牙切齒的清晰發聲充分表達出內心的怒意。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAjiURL9ViHr
1508Please respect copyright.PENANATa45oCSzrV
與此同時,被烏爾莉卡抓住的少年憋紅了臉,他的雙腳些微離地,無處使力。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAbWxdBtCfG6
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAJrcQtTk9El
「咳喝......好痛苦,不能呼吸.....」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAlh32uK73SP
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAvuBRFOkqeZ
「莎薇在哪裡!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAAVrKC8J6TJ
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAELnbVc0iRc
「她......莎薇就在後面跟......」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAFXUbcVPpQH
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAKJ7ovK3tnv
「你對莎薇做了什麼?你是不是偷偷把她賣掉了!」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAYvpHsjLZRX
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAPBH9e65Tbr
「沒有、絕對......我不會......」1508Please respect copyright.PENANAoDuYeK6OE9
1508Please respect copyright.PENANAdQfUZA2kPf
正當艾塔奇的臉色逐由紅轉白之際,一聲稚嫩的嗓音拯救了他。1508Please respect copyright.PENANAiS4GCHEyPe