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339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09OTXhEqWq
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW3Z9aQ2SX
隨後的幾天，我幾乎都待在〈白城〉城堡花園摸熟四周的環境。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKynltF0qc4
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVUfpMH01E
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DN9Lk5RBl
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0Wl3h0PAq
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIoXNmOQa3
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSf3zZmFH7W
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cANDXn4x4
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGTwMJx2iX
過了一會後，房門被打開的聲音傳入我耳中。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyXgqna5u8
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3pDUKz8N7
框啷！339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT84btBqGG6
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDmKWPQqZK
清脆的撞擊聲隨之響起。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMHcSfAzmN
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKwmyeiAcQ
框啷！339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8RXMqTgvn
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhUrDRFQbj
我光用聽的就曉得來者的身分。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI96OgjzsHY
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MHeqZC16L
「早安，吉莎小姐。」我抬起頭朝聲音來源的方向打招呼。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfb9wRlBGEM
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOglAgSPkt
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPykjR6D2GP
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRudRBijrgt
「請用早點，海倫娜閣下。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yuRQHQgoq
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfStVL9OKQv
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXqG0I6oER
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJOAImo5mk
「不好意思，吉莎小姐。」我對她說：「我就不享用餐點了。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaShkPkYIqd
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJWS66B2GV
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QRsPZn4VE
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWas7d9NXfy
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5XqGkKbUL
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGeJ3fYUcq
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBuTSusYrK5
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1U9o1lypO2
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkcn77NBJN
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIHMbX3ady
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62RG0lB4EL
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkuY0HtQEG
「咦？這話的意思是——」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RIpiDgNnU
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyc6s1sXEA
「您品嚐一口便知，直接用手取食即可。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3J8B6iTncj
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqdklOqxob
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImf2ETyWyN
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhvk0kKrPZ
「請問還合您的胃口嗎，海倫娜閣下？」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQE4LqN6Op
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSao1tIt3J
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqMMboHDn1
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9uZqR2VZB
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfYEfsqId5
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfw7Qix7oxX
「是的，我想這種食物應該不會......違背赤足修院的教義。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNdogbp8SK
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYoAelQ9BV
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoeqovyFkO
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecIcwr767B
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6iG0d84nc
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPWTv5Zaer
「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。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuprLuWOlra
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQZ9Kh3ZfU
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraWyLbkAQX
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtecMASeIsI
「總之，我就不打擾您用餐。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtngqkJp4F1
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoijE7SoLN1
語畢，陶杯之間的撞擊聲再度響起。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnkT2c8lJC
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBeda9BLwN
這次它是逐漸離我遠去，代表吉莎正要離開房間。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8tVQ0cpC4
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvAusLBSsM
「對了，吉莎小姐。」我出聲叫住她。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdr7WS1uNUj
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWdMJtG0yC
「請問有什麼吩咐嗎？」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKokVEuZ3ue
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaVBRXHvuM
「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？」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdc9sEgGig
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGnDcCuyFw
「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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOR6QA1J5fe
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKF3roCM3x7
「有沒有更加私人一點的東西呢？」我再問。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0m9Kht5Y6u
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lBglrUqXC
「假如殿下的行為更可靠一點，我就不會這麼累了。」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYfSLL5xek
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7shm6W882
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！339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMrDbIGMgf
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgXtzEuKuE
「真要說的話......孩子......吧？」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmXi99gRHP
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZrqMcCud3
沉默了一會兒，吉莎才以淡淡的口吻低語。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefy1cjpgv7
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQPYhxcnLz
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdaO4VyRnu
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8WR9yvI61f
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。339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQIRsC8zd9
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VUIKez14D
所以——339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkI8xafcH9r
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu65KbZNpCx
「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......」339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmQh9NhjGB
339Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXWjjXuPod
所以，這句意義不明話我大概是聽錯了吧？
