2157年6月24日,下午四點,仙境大樓,二層707Please respect copyright.PENANAOSoeIOCdPO
707Please respect copyright.PENANAApTAs1AaQ0
707Please respect copyright.PENANAhmzbwJcvnd
跟赫密士要到聯絡方式後,尼可拉斯成功和那個女人聯繫上,但她不在家,說好兩個禮拜後碰面。到時,她會將貓親手交給尼可拉斯。707Please respect copyright.PENANAf9PfyoZ3ko
707Please respect copyright.PENANAIlzRExYJYm
任務還算順利。閒來無事,尼可拉斯在醫務室看書,沒多久,雪檸突然衝進來,抓住尼可拉斯的手臂。707Please respect copyright.PENANASpHijZykDi
707Please respect copyright.PENANA27PdxkBbnE
「尼可!!!」707Please respect copyright.PENANAP1N5i48w2F
707Please respect copyright.PENANAwhOXI1xvRn
雪檸跟他說:「尼可!情況緊急,我需要你幫忙!」707Please respect copyright.PENANAKuWcDLpYkB
707Please respect copyright.PENANAlTwnEEdTGv
「啊?」707Please respect copyright.PENANAHWmLMiBR4S
707Please respect copyright.PENANADWXqAgyBVM
尼可拉斯覺得莫名其妙,下一秒,一名意想不到的人從門口走進來。因為天氣變熱,里奧今天穿著短袖的黑色上衣,這是尼可拉斯第一次看到他露手臂。707Please respect copyright.PENANAcRHH42nioH
707Please respect copyright.PENANA7arl02d1kr
「我今天不知道為什麼,超級想吃蝦子!可是……可是……!」707Please respect copyright.PENANArWvesr2O0U
707Please respect copyright.PENANAuEnuiS2eQK
雪檸指著站在門口的里奧,生氣地說:「他說孕婦不能吃海鮮,會害寶寶過敏!可是我上網查,過敏只跟基因有關,但他不相信我!尼可,快用你的專業知識說他是錯的!!」707Please respect copyright.PENANAJvXhD63TJV
707Please respect copyright.PENANAVpxLuxwDKo
雪檸抓著尼可拉斯的肩膀搖啊搖、搖啊搖,尼可拉斯的頭越來越暈。不愧是Knight隊長,力氣不是普通地大。707Please respect copyright.PENANABcLJTgzap5
707Please respect copyright.PENANAKOKqQUNzaz
「冷靜點!我不是婦產科醫師!」707Please respect copyright.PENANAoen6jXNYNk
707Please respect copyright.PENANAJJVv8ES4g4
「不管啦!這裡只有你是醫生,他只聽你的話!」707Please respect copyright.PENANAgIdyfJFUDJ
707Please respect copyright.PENANAz7xJ0lBCSD
如果尼可拉斯是孕婦,他已經被雪檸搖到流產了。里奧從後面把雪檸抱走,再這樣下去,他覺得尼可拉斯會死。707Please respect copyright.PENANAYkWcHFN71X
707Please respect copyright.PENANA550r29AmD5
還在希波克拉底時,尼可拉斯被歸類在外科,也是他最擅長的領域。至於內科、兒科、婦產科、精神科其它領域,雖然不是專業,懂的也比一般人多,解答雪檸的疑問不是問題。707Please respect copyright.PENANASPVKgCfjWn
707Please respect copyright.PENANA05EAQ89pJm
「就像妳說的:過敏主要取決於基因,孕婦可以吃海鮮。」尼可拉斯說。707Please respect copyright.PENANALCBNIHzaUo
707Please respect copyright.PENANARL8A0T8ich
「你看吧!」雪檸朝里奧露出勝利的表情。707Please respect copyright.PENANApRhKdfUZtB
707Please respect copyright.PENANA4M9LOu3zJk
「但是!」尼可拉斯加但書:「食材要新鮮、料理過程要衛生、完全煮熟才能食用,最重要的──不能一次攝取太多。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAdKDDD3mHrU
707Please respect copyright.PENANAU044umLWQ5
雪檸鼓嘴,她打算去水產火鍋超市大吃特吃,被尼可拉斯看穿計謀,肯定是不行了。707Please respect copyright.PENANAwTxI7xM00q
707Please respect copyright.PENANAzpB0xny6u0
「妳現在最重要的是營養均衡,孕婦手冊說不能碰的東西就不要碰。這都是為了嬰兒著想,忍忍吧。」707Please respect copyright.PENANA3GVUa3jTFC
707Please respect copyright.PENANAjeUOXI4Z0Q
尼可拉斯瞥了里奧一眼。雖然不想跟他講話,尼可拉斯還是叮嚀:「她再過幾周會開始害喜,到時會出現各種症狀。嗜睡、孕吐、頭痛頭暈……可能完全吃不下,也可能只想吃某種東西,或心理狀況不穩定,這時爸爸的角色很重要。可以的話,你盡量別出任務,多待在她旁邊,畢竟讓她懷孕的是你,這是你的責任。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAF2cQZ3Jinv
707Please respect copyright.PENANAwb0DDT5U34
里奧點頭。昨天他才和高宇維通話,里奧和雪檸的任務都轉給了別人,他們這陣子會待在仙境大樓,產假的概念。707Please respect copyright.PENANAj2O5OPf8nF
707Please respect copyright.PENANAmE4vGGzLbb
「……謝謝。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAwivqnFrIpu
707Please respect copyright.PENANAThJomRpVLB
有尼可拉斯在,里奧很放心,也發自內心、感激尼可拉斯沒有因為私人恩怨,無視雪檸肚子裡的孩子。707Please respect copyright.PENANAVVs3QqU4qs
707Please respect copyright.PENANAsHpd1nOgkS
「對了,我有事要問你。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAh8hZeUtpO2
707Please respect copyright.PENANAgbxxmw5uF8
既然里奧在這,兩人也說上話,尼可拉斯不會放過這個機會。707Please respect copyright.PENANAiIKW1Ijngt
707Please respect copyright.PENANA5CjWhsWowr
「既然天賦是透過遺傳得來,」尼可拉斯問:「我媽她,是不是也有天賦?」707Please respect copyright.PENANAuGeohc2MYk
707Please respect copyright.PENANAkBsoWTnnrP
里奧點頭。尼可拉斯接著問:「是什麼?」707Please respect copyright.PENANAxznnLscIoQ
707Please respect copyright.PENANA3bdoEe7Kvs
「『香菇』。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAvFgrfw66D9
707Please respect copyright.PENANAmbeIeqoWEq
「啊?」尼可拉斯挑眉,「你在耍我嗎?」707Please respect copyright.PENANA2n4G32sQX9
707Please respect copyright.PENANAL08pgTV6UG
「尼可,里奧說的是實話。」雪檸說:「葛蕾絲真的是香菇。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAvcncnC2ASJ
707Please respect copyright.PENANAKg58XgUoqI
「妳乾脆說我媽會孢子繁殖算了。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAhWMqkRoiS4
707Please respect copyright.PENANAswrAakvG2k
尼可拉斯這話是亂講,結果雪檸回答:「嗯,不愧是尼可,反應真快!」707Please respect copyright.PENANA3QCmc0rriu
707Please respect copyright.PENANA6mY1ql126o
「……。」707Please respect copyright.PENANA7RQLthgNiu
707Please respect copyright.PENANAgNBsAyCpMM
尼可拉斯滿頭問號,「我跟不上你們的節奏。」他整理剛才的對話,「我媽的天賦是香菇,她會孢子繁殖?」707Please respect copyright.PENANAgRS1uC4gUT
707Please respect copyright.PENANAm5Uyk37aGF
里奧和雪檸一起點頭。活這麼大,從別人口中聽到媽媽是蕈類,尼可拉斯的頭好痛。707Please respect copyright.PENANAPqALr2ew5h
707Please respect copyright.PENANAphLBzN1wTO
「……她的孢子不是用來繁殖。」里奧突然說。707Please respect copyright.PENANA6tppps8g3M
707Please respect copyright.PENANA5G66Lp7zfa
「不然尼可也會是香菇喔。」雪檸開玩笑地說:「聽起來很可愛。」707Please respect copyright.PENANApTOWm0yEra
707Please respect copyright.PENANAjH5Tip7P1j
「一點也不。」尼可拉斯翻白眼,問里奧:「用來做什麼?」707Please respect copyright.PENANA6HDgvDQq13
707Please respect copyright.PENANAlUDyRryCon
「復活。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAVyAZUx0Uh1
707Please respect copyright.PENANAEkl84gHU5M
尼可拉斯的眼睛睜大了一圈。707Please respect copyright.PENANAqsReC2jAuu
707Please respect copyright.PENANAy780QYwCmg
「她死亡的當下,身體會射出肉眼無法看見的孢子。」里奧說:「當孢子獲得足夠的能量,她就會復活。」707Please respect copyright.PENANArncc09B10G
707Please respect copyright.PENANA3rrPkWykqI
「……!」707Please respect copyright.PENANAiecu9XrxeQ
707Please respect copyright.PENANAcBH6jPA9eB
尼可拉斯激動到站起來,「你為什麼不早說!宇維少爺為什麼不復活她?」707Please respect copyright.PENANAWyfknzi8ji
707Please respect copyright.PENANAeePmJvKkwD
里奧搖頭,「葛蕾絲警告過,不能那樣做。」707Please respect copyright.PENANA17TW8kBXxA
707Please respect copyright.PENANACmfY9EpIdq
「為什麼?」707Please respect copyright.PENANA3mDyMIAMZJ
707Please respect copyright.PENANAdOWwdm1fQT
「……會死很多人。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAU8I95H65Z1
707Please respect copyright.PENANAEuEpzOWjsq
看里奧的表情就知道,他的想法和尼可拉斯一致、也希望葛蕾絲回來,但葛蕾絲本人不允許,他才沒採取行動。707Please respect copyright.PENANA3Qiyuf6vhS
707Please respect copyright.PENANACbU4h97dYq
「尼可,你先坐下來,詳細情形由我來說。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAw4tiI85gjX
707Please respect copyright.PENANAs2R1Nv1M2k
雪檸安撫尼可拉斯的情緒、讓他坐回椅子上,也跟尼可拉斯借紙筆,用圖畫來說明。707Please respect copyright.PENANAsmi9QTm9zO
707Please respect copyright.PENANAbXVoFokFKe
「葛蕾絲的孢子飛散出去後,會寄身在活體生物上。除非被寄生者死亡,否則孢子不會消失。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAipTFhu6x5d
707Please respect copyright.PENANACndqrvn1cO
雪檸在紙上畫了五個圈圈,也在五個圈圈底下,各畫上一個人。707Please respect copyright.PENANAh9d7ovynxi
707Please respect copyright.PENANAegRddK78Pw
「其中,所有孢子裡,有個最重要的『母體』。其它孢子的被寄生者死亡後,會把獲得的能量傳送給母體。只要母體獲得足夠能量,葛蕾絲就能利用母體的被寄身者復活,就像這樣子。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAquLsIo0LtO
707Please respect copyright.PENANAgmy0VPnu8A
雪檸在第一個圈圈旁,寫上「母體」。707Please respect copyright.PENANAp2R5pPnHl1
707Please respect copyright.PENANACpE1v8ybJo
「假設,總共有ABCDE五個孢子,分別寄身在12345號被寄身者上,其中A孢子是母體。今天,假設2號寄生者死亡,B孢子會把獲得的能量,傳給母體A。」707Please respect copyright.PENANA4ngKZzczjT
707Please respect copyright.PENANAh0usn8UBsR
雪檸在2、3、4、5號寄生者身上,都打上叉叉,再個別畫了箭頭、連到母體A的位置。707Please respect copyright.PENANAms4nsJZTd9
707Please respect copyright.PENANA76sHG5ZzLb
「以此類推,母體A吸收來自各孢子的能量。等吸收到一定程度,葛蕾絲會用1號寄身者的身體復活。但這過程非常長,而且,必須確保母體安危,1號寄身者要活得比其它寄身者久。成功率很低,何況,葛蕾絲本人不想這麼做。」707Please respect copyright.PENANALcM3UjJyNn
707Please respect copyright.PENANAxYeZxDyviv
「為什麼?」707Please respect copyright.PENANAlhO8kNczM8
707Please respect copyright.PENANAh4a47y4XKS
「看圖就知道了。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAXOniSq1pxp
707Please respect copyright.PENANADk7yr7tTez
雪檸用筆,指著被畫叉叉的被寄身者。707Please respect copyright.PENANAvr9cp0IXCj
707Please respect copyright.PENANAToUHg1JQiA
「首先,母體要獲得足夠的能量,這些被孢子寄身的人都得死;再來,葛蕾絲用1號寄身者的身體復活,1號寄身者的意識將不復存在,1號寄身者也會死。」707Please respect copyright.PENANANpKvnT7Yw1
707Please respect copyright.PENANARnLsrZaMjY
雪檸嘆了口氣。707Please respect copyright.PENANAWhAxuNUsxt
707Please respect copyright.PENANAgJblbYVjpb
「葛蕾絲的能力,來自第一代水果塔『書蟲(Caterpillar)』。說穿了,這是場獻祭儀式,用上百人的性命換她一人。尼可,你覺得依葛蕾絲的個性,她會同意這種作法嗎?」707Please respect copyright.PENANABzdCdWh1bk
707Please respect copyright.PENANAjFUxoB3lYr
「……。」707Please respect copyright.PENANACKuUqUrktI
707Please respect copyright.PENANAOGd5pvnQDl
當然不會。707Please respect copyright.PENANA1xGMCPlVr5
707Please respect copyright.PENANAzudiM3OLRr
尼可拉斯想都不用想。707Please respect copyright.PENANAP7s3yGx4Q5
707Please respect copyright.PENANAqR54vcWqOK
他那個媽媽,三不五時把受傷的小貓小狗撿回家,會把家裡的食物分給附近的流浪漢。連螞蟻都捨不得殺死的人,怎麼可能允許那種事?707Please respect copyright.PENANAQLBq2LYz13
707Please respect copyright.PENANAI8Sa9SKvau
「……你們回去吧。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAFZc3HRtZLo
707Please respect copyright.PENANApX3DCEC4UW
他後悔問了問題、燃起無聊的希望。尼可拉斯下了逐客令,暫時不想見任何人,尤其是里奧。707Please respect copyright.PENANAGLucZ2GS6H
707Please respect copyright.PENANAJzQpdusivz
「我不想影響到孕婦的心情。」尼可拉斯別過頭,「快走,別逼我發脾氣。」707Please respect copyright.PENANA5MaN1Gxew0
707Please respect copyright.PENANAtbUONVyiLo
雪檸原本想說什麼,手卻先被里奧拉住。707Please respect copyright.PENANAVEIpWqtbZB
707Please respect copyright.PENANARFN2iSg0Vy
「……走吧。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAr9BfO2Emeo
707Please respect copyright.PENANAlYpHnYQvDI
里奧很清楚,尼可拉斯需要時間習慣心裡的傷口,不是一句不負責任的道歉。那不是「對不起」三個字可以彌補,何況,是沒有感情基礎的對不起。707Please respect copyright.PENANAivPB5irZ6r
707Please respect copyright.PENANA0EAiGnuAwe
他需要人陪伴、需要人安慰──那個人絕對不是里奧。他牽起雪檸的手,離開醫務室。707Please respect copyright.PENANARJAdAmNIuX
707Please respect copyright.PENANA1hI0dsJR2w
另一方面,從三樓走樓梯到二樓,MIO遇見從醫務室離開的里奧夫婦,但沒有跟他們說到話,只聽到一句:「果然,不該告訴尼可的。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAPBTsqO7v59
707Please respect copyright.PENANALB8eTJLAPK
「……?」707Please respect copyright.PENANAWUyHUSA9Ya
707Please respect copyright.PENANAYQi6sY1kLG
電梯門闔上後,MIO才從樓梯間探出頭來。因為尼可拉斯最近很累,MIO抱著便當盒,裡面有她親手捏的飯糰,希望能讓尼可拉斯打起精神。707Please respect copyright.PENANAtE0KEbsfhk
707Please respect copyright.PENANAW8JoBzhdAg
殊不知被她聽見這句。707Please respect copyright.PENANA6KaoTZYnER
707Please respect copyright.PENANANYSLRwFes9
MIO眨眨眼睛,雖然不知道發生什麼,但見到里奧,尼可拉斯的心情一定不好,需要飯糰打起精神。MIO沒想太多,繼續朝醫務室前進。707Please respect copyright.PENANA3c1zlgI8RM
707Please respect copyright.PENANAHrRYMIIKoB
「尼可?」707Please respect copyright.PENANA6sV9QoHzL2
707Please respect copyright.PENANAKa4OofQLJS
推開醫務室的門。尼可拉斯坐在辦公椅上,表情冷漠,看起來和平常一樣──但MIO覺得不正常。707Please respect copyright.PENANAalWBFfrW3J
707Please respect copyright.PENANAWsH4N76k1G
第一,什麼事也沒發生;第二,他遭受巨大的打擊,變得只能思考一件事,淪為詭譎的冷靜。707Please respect copyright.PENANAXijJ4Fujya
707Please respect copyright.PENANAenPA6PvVsP
「……怎麼了?MIO。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAQOEIm3PBR9
707Please respect copyright.PENANA8P24zoWrCY
空氣瀰漫異常的氣氛。MIO看著尼可拉斯友善又詭異的笑容,有些躊躇、有些遲疑,但她假裝什麼都不知道,把便當盒放到尼可拉斯桌上。707Please respect copyright.PENANAW1Dw9Niry7
707Please respect copyright.PENANAdb0K4c6Dn3
「MIO做了飯糰給尼可喔!」707Please respect copyright.PENANA5Tt2r8YXQ1
707Please respect copyright.PENANAF3kfYiVHSp
MIO站到尼可拉斯面前,一副要尼可拉斯稱讚的表情。707Please respect copyright.PENANA9s0Zk5Fr7B
707Please respect copyright.PENANAHFjimgp7LD
「……謝謝。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAhtPPCcXOyS
707Please respect copyright.PENANACRB1DM1Uyn
MIO接收到尼可拉斯異樣的眼神,下一秒,尼可拉斯的手放到MIO頭上,臉湊了過來。707Please respect copyright.PENANAQKuJ8vB8jv
707Please respect copyright.PENANAsots9fhtMc
「哪,MIO。」707Please respect copyright.PENANAlus567DpBN
707Please respect copyright.PENANA0JIRzWGcGw
尼可拉斯睜大眼睛,嘴角上揚,整張臉沒有半點笑意。707Please respect copyright.PENANAQQznbtYhCL
707Please respect copyright.PENANAbsiDccep4l
707Please respect copyright.PENANAufX2RFzjb4
「還記得──我上次說的『願望』嗎?」707Please respect copyright.PENANA9ZlKTRThlN
707Please respect copyright.PENANAlLYIUr41Zr
707Please respect copyright.PENANAzdUgYqQM0N
「……!」707Please respect copyright.PENANAJovxaV3yls
707Please respect copyright.PENANAK7sQewRT6X
MIO沒有回話。那一瞬間,她感覺尼可拉斯心裡,有什麼東西正在裂開。支撐神與畜的東西正在衰敗,MIO自己也裂得七零八落,彷彿──回到遇見李博洋前的自己。