有一個偏遠的小村莊,由於一直以來依賴的森林漸漸變得貧瘠,以至於這幾年能搬遷出去的人家都搬走了。303Please respect copyright.PENANA3FdWqf3W0A
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有人說,是因為這森林受了詛咒。303Please respect copyright.PENANASkTihDvUcV
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吉莉兒跟她斷了一隻腿的獵人父親,算是這個村裡剩下來的人當中最有錢的人了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAgjU9Ao2Xc9
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老獵人很早就不打獵了,在村頭開了一家破敗的酒店。當原本的村長舉家搬遷到大城鎮時,吉莉兒的父親就是這個村上最有發話權的人了。原因無他,村裡只剩下他這個斷腿的獵人正值壯年。303Please respect copyright.PENANAvtJrma1uMC
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蘇珊婆婆已經老得不能再老,她住在村裡邊角,地勢特別高起的地方。她已經老的走不動,眼睛也看不清楚了,所以已經很少出門了。不過雖然她已經這麼老了,她的牙齒卻還咬得動很硬的肉。303Please respect copyright.PENANAsekZZkyVQn
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耶爾是蘇珊婆婆的女兒,她也很老了,不過卻有著很好的廚藝。她的身體還能允許她下廚房,當村裡會下廚的婦女們都走光了之後,她便負責起眾人的伙食來。303Please respect copyright.PENANAkaBL0hkYGy
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村裡唯一有馬車的吉普,現在老是駕著馬車住在遠一些的鎮上方便工作,偶爾才回來搬點東西過去。基本已經算是村裡的半個人口,或許再過一陣子,他就再也不會回來了。303Please respect copyright.PENANADRv9v0YGPI
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亞丁是孤兒,村裡唯一的牧羊童,但自從養羊的人家一戶戶搬走,村裡別說羊了,連一條牧羊犬都沒有──本來亞丁自己有一條牧羊犬,可是當森林終於完全貧瘠以後,食物來源也變得困難起來,於是某一天,耶爾便把亞丁已經沒有羊可看管的牧羊犬煮來吃了。303Please respect copyright.PENANANPHH5kMzhD
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雖然亞丁當時對他的牧羊犬感到非常傷心,但是村裡其他人更多都為蘇珊婆婆能吃得飽而感到欣慰。303Please respect copyright.PENANAdkJejEv5Mj
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當村裡連吉普都不再回來時,尋找食物的工作,就落在亞丁與吉莉兒身上。村長雖然還有一條腿,但畢竟無法走得太遠。303Please respect copyright.PENANAktzXLGOgOz
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尤其是亞丁,由於吉莉兒是女孩子,更多的責任是在他的身上,然而這附近已經被抓得連一隻貓狗都很難看到了。 303Please respect copyright.PENANAulXYDW0OEh
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為了尋找食物,雖然附近的野林容易使人迷路,但亞丁不得不越來越深入。303Please respect copyright.PENANAX31u8pYZVt
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某天亞丁深入了一塊他也從來沒來過的野林,附近的樹不知道為什麼長得比較低矮。303Please respect copyright.PENANApsZQO7J9vt
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當他發現這裡面竟然有著一個湖泊時,一個巨大的陰影把他壟罩了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAJuHTNjhdCm
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『人類,我已經好久沒有吃到人類了。』一頭看似是獅子的野獸,卻有著惡魔的眼睛與山羊的角,除此之外,這頭野獸非常的龐大。303Please respect copyright.PENANAmbmRyUYIg6
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亞丁嚇得跌坐在地、牙齒打顫、混身發抖,想要逃跑,雙腿卻感到發軟使不上力。303Please respect copyright.PENANALkjLeRdi4D
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然而野獸卻是嗅了嗅他,非常失望的說。303Please respect copyright.PENANAYbESba4VrI
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『你太瘦小了,一點也不好吃。』野獸說。303Please respect copyright.PENANAP10DHvLgEB
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這時仔細看這頭野獸的話,你會發現,這頭野獸結實的身體並不特別飽滿,隱隱可見骨頭的紋路,顯然也是營養不良。 303Please respect copyright.PENANAMd3ALiHJdr
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『雖然你看起來很難吃,但是我已經很久沒在這附近獵到獵物了,所以我還是要吃了你。』說著野獸準備張開牠的血盆大口。303Please respect copyright.PENANAYOMScx3mr6
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亞丁雖不聰明,但反應很快。303Please respect copyright.PENANAFxQNT89Sp4
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「等等,吃了我,你也不會飽啊。不然......不然先把我養胖?」亞丁趁著野獸還沒撲下來時這麼說。303Please respect copyright.PENANANF03YAI9iU
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雖然亞丁不聰明,但是這頭野獸的智慧顯然不如人類。303Please respect copyright.PENANASvZ8xbjP9p
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牠應該要直接把亞丁吃掉的,但牠卻因為亞丁的話而遲疑了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAX1TY2mgtI6
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『但我現在就很餓,怕我等不到你變胖的時候,我現在就要吃了你。』最後野獸竟然還認真考慮了亞丁的提議。303Please respect copyright.PENANAEJdZ3PFHYy
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只是牠的肚子實在太餓,牠就跟亞丁這些還沒從這村莊撤離的人一樣,因為食物來源減少而感到飢餓。因此最後牠還是很快地決定要吃了亞丁。303Please respect copyright.PENANAUsdLioQ5JT
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「不要吃我,我可以帶你去找村裡其他人。」亞丁只想活下來,最後只想到這樣的話。303Please respect copyright.PENANAUhTpUd1gTQ
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野獸又遲疑了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAsR4SKZKrVy
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「除了我,村子還有其他人。搞不好你可以因此吃飽也不一定。」亞丁見野獸遲疑了,立刻嚐試說服著野獸。303Please respect copyright.PENANAfQYIPXy11b
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『我怎麼知道你不是騙我要回村裡搬救兵呢?』野獸以前也襲擊過村莊,牠也知道人多的可怕。303Please respect copyright.PENANAvUrNbf8PX7
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「不會的,村裡現在人已經不多了。」亞丁怕野獸現在就吃了他,還一一細數村裡現在有哪些人,這些人分別是怎樣的。他還特別強調,唯一有可能有力氣拿鐮刀跟鋤頭來砍野獸的吉普,很早就不回來這個村子了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAuc1kE2NYYy
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『聽起來,的確是沒有威脅性。』野獸說。303Please respect copyright.PENANAWYauvudAFQ
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於是牠要亞丁在牠面前帶路,並威脅亞丁,如果所走的路讓牠感到奇怪的話,牠就立刻把亞丁吃了。303Please respect copyright.PENANACNPOXpLgT8
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亞丁小心翼翼地帶路,一路上,都在想著要怎麼逃過野獸,他知道等野獸把村子裡的人吃光後,因為這裡再沒有別的食物,下一個恐怕就是他自己。303Please respect copyright.PENANAhsdge7EVKX
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然而亞丁不太靈光的腦袋,一直到看到了那現狀破落蕭條的村莊樣貌,還是想不出任何辦法。303Please respect copyright.PENANAgZ8ZzpPDBo
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『進去,先把一個人帶出來給我吃。要是夜晚來臨以前,沒有看到你,我就會殺進村莊吃了所有人。別想要逃跑,別小看野獸的鼻子。』303Please respect copyright.PENANABFCvSk3Gpe
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亞丁顫抖的進了村莊,他非常恐懼自己被吃掉,但是也覺得要是村子裡的人因為他而死掉的話,他會過意不去,所以他沒有先找人出來,而是先找了吉莉兒,把這件事說給她聽。303Please respect copyright.PENANARDL3DHtjiR
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吉莉兒以前曾經得到過四葉的幸運草,從此以後便非常聰明。她還跟過吉普到大鎮上去,聽過教堂的神父講道,因此聽到有野獸時,她立刻有了辦法。303Please respect copyright.PENANAJ34ckcB4Kf
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「村裡的其他人,恐怕都沒有我看起來這麼好吃。為了讓野獸先放下戒心,你就先帶我過去吧。」她對亞丁這麼說,並且將以前從教堂裡求來的,裝著聖水的小瓶子,放在口袋裡面。303Please respect copyright.PENANAMIaY7YwRhX
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亞丁很不安,但他知道吉莉兒比他聰明,所以帶著吉莉兒過去了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAjcELKB5x1U
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太陽還沒下山時,亞丁帶著吉莉兒到野獸的面前。303Please respect copyright.PENANAvItSdGvzR5
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「我是這個村子裡最年輕的女孩子,你不會在這村裡遇到有其他人比我更好吃了。」吉莉兒一點也不怕野獸,還向野獸這麼介紹自己。303Please respect copyright.PENANAikMBpyCCf4
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『的確,你看起來雖然一樣很瘦弱,味道卻應該比旁邊的小傢伙好上很多。』說著,再也忍受不住飢餓的野獸,張開了牠的嘴巴,想把吉莉兒吃下去。303Please respect copyright.PENANAQsTaNRL4Eb
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吉莉兒立刻把瓶子掏出來,將聖水灑向野獸大開的口。303Please respect copyright.PENANAnPqPJ5zj5l
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野獸被聖水灑到的地方,立刻冒出了黑色的煙,像是燙傷一般,牠的舌頭還冒出了水泡,讓牠痛苦的在地上打滾,發出的哀嚎聲,讓在村子裡的人都聽到了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAuxzWXfA69w
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亞丁張大著嘴巴看著野獸逐漸的現出牠的原型。303Please respect copyright.PENANAUF5nvp1arB
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當黑色的煙散去之後,在亞丁與吉莉兒面前的,是一隻毛色雜亂不堪,面像醜惡的狗。303Please respect copyright.PENANAcLZU6eOgpp
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牠的體型只比山羊大了一點、失去了牠的角、眼睛也沒有那麼像惡魔了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAHI5zsnGpo2
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此刻因為消散而去的魔法,牠竟然只能待在原地發抖,於是反應很快的亞丁,立刻就把牠制伏了。303Please respect copyright.PENANAxmYXOiG9OA
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等到吉莉兒的父親因為聽到野獸醜惡的哀嚎聲,於是撐著拐杖,帶著獵槍過來時,就發現亞丁跟吉莉兒抓到了應該是已經很難在這附近找到的大狗。303Please respect copyright.PENANAK8vES0w7kR
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那天晚上,大家再次因為蘇珊婆婆能夠吃飽而感到欣慰。303Please respect copyright.PENANAHZN2LqudUu
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雖然野獸身上的魔法解除了,但牠的屍體讓村中殘留的人又多活了一個禮拜。303Please respect copyright.PENANARWNdTWTmj8
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之後,森林又漸漸的繁榮起來,或許是森林的詛咒消失了也不一定。
此篇原發表於創作革命、後移至冒險者天堂與巴哈姆特。
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