從他清醒以來,房裡的青蛙雕像一次也沒叫過。513Please respect copyright.PENANAIFEiBszSmG
513Please respect copyright.PENANArYdTABMIRU
涅澤爾不知道第幾次坐到窗邊,望著小青蛙發呆,青年細長的手指輕觸雕塑的頭頂,其實,假如他想要的話,反向操作這件魔法道具,讓亨利那邊的金球發出聲音也沒問題,若是做出這種舉動,亨利肯定會明瞭自己想與之見面吧。513Please respect copyright.PENANAuXEOaNZ6ia
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可是他卻不想這麼做。513Please respect copyright.PENANALlK6VV59EY
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或者說,不敢這麼做。513Please respect copyright.PENANADfdqVKEoi9
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冬去春來,他都解決了兩場暴雨,亨利也沒有聯繫他的意思,既然如此,就是不想見面吧。513Please respect copyright.PENANAFHKmcUBC9c
513Please respect copyright.PENANANsXthJ68cg
理智上,涅澤爾明白亨利或許是遇上了什麼麻煩,畢竟從狩獵祭之後,鴉之森就多了不少士兵紮營駐點、至今也沒有離開的意思,加上「邪惡巫師」的名頭隨著在祭典受傷的二王子與大公主相繼離世愈傳愈廣,外界對他的無端仇視更甚以往,而以亨利的個性,要是在國王面前說了什麼袒護巫師的話,下場可想而知。513Please respect copyright.PENANA1NBelZIHMp
513Please respect copyright.PENANAYCUHwSIgyU
明白是明白,但感情上,涅澤爾卻忍不住思索,或許亨利也像其他人類一樣對他產生偏見,或許他不想見他,純粹只是因為害怕。513Please respect copyright.PENANAecKmm4mDuS
513Please respect copyright.PENANAuQaULsjFfz
他望向窗外的藍天,又想起那雙在心底揮之不去的眼,再一次對自己竟如此看待那名少年產生罪惡感。513Please respect copyright.PENANAGqCqnbL0L3
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小王子或許不曉得,某方面而言,巫師比他更缺乏自信。513Please respect copyright.PENANAAxZpGlSrvk
513Please respect copyright.PENANAJMJ0sAD5gm
「涅澤爾大人?」513Please respect copyright.PENANA1brfdxk7Fi
513Please respect copyright.PENANAC3ykrqbax2
白龍的聲音幾乎和牠的形影同時出現,小龍緩緩飛到他身旁,巫師將手從雕塑頭頂收回,蹲坐至窗台的白龍昂起頭,涅澤爾斂起煩悶的心緒,換上不至於令龍憂心的淺笑。513Please respect copyright.PENANAQI4DW8QgzE
513Please respect copyright.PENANAwTZUKQgCpI
「怎麼了嗎?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAk1eBi9XE00
513Please respect copyright.PENANA0X6c6gJWez
「您還好嗎?涅澤爾大人。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAl0mPWMptaG
513Please respect copyright.PENANAD2ue6fUPcP
「怎麼這麼問?」513Please respect copyright.PENANA4PJJZQE2Bc
513Please respect copyright.PENANANRsBjFkUnW
「因為──您……之前在您睡著的時候,我都已經想好了,」白龍往前幾步,將前爪搭到巫師擱在窗台的左手臂上,「要是您想去找那個孩子,我一定要全力阻止您,因為我怕您會死掉。但是,您卻都沒有要出門的樣子,這反倒讓我覺得更奇怪了呀,涅澤爾大人。」513Please respect copyright.PENANANXzt8TUfnF
513Please respect copyright.PENANAI6OiV1Br39
涅澤爾僵了一下,隨後又如沒事人般地握住白龍的腳爪,「你不是希望我一直待在這裡嗎?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAkW77bzlhFg
513Please respect copyright.PENANAki2837ktmt
「唔嗯,是呀。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAZXonTkVsv7
513Please respect copyright.PENANAyJ6aM5IFXn
「那現在有什麼不好的?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAJ33tiYVJPk
513Please respect copyright.PENANA4t2dw7dsf3
白龍支吾半天,最後做出令人震驚的發言:「我們去找那孩子吧,涅澤爾大人。」513Please respect copyright.PENANA2q2LbUHEAX
513Please respect copyright.PENANAjYnM31K1EF
涅澤爾因為這句話傻了半秒,他簡直不曉得自己在白龍這麼說時露出了什麼表情,他迅速調整心情,溫言回道:513Please respect copyright.PENANAlShjRVPOqT
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「……你剛剛不是才說,如果我去找亨利,你要阻止我嗎?小白。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAgRiCAMfzj5
513Please respect copyright.PENANAbUkcgO01yL
白龍以後腿站了起來,前爪搭在巫師的肩膀上,「可是、可是──我希望涅澤爾大人快快樂樂的,我不想要您難過,只要見到那孩子,您就會高興起來吧?涅澤爾大人。」513Please respect copyright.PENANA8JuFsmwGpa
513Please respect copyright.PENANAq5CfsNXJZg
「謝謝你喔。」涅澤爾摸了摸小龍的頸子,臉上是如常的輕鬆神情。「但是,我不想去找他。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAqhYEEbAl3l
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×513Please respect copyright.PENANAntzTInHfxx
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春末,昏迷數月的大公主奧維菈心跳停止。513Please respect copyright.PENANAABnSv7tIV2
513Please respect copyright.PENANAenXV4roVld
繡球花盛開的初夏,國王穆拉與世長辭,亨利登上王位。513Please respect copyright.PENANAvH7tCkLGAl
513Please respect copyright.PENANAvYa3aSXli8
上位後,亨利做的第一件事就是撤回鴉之森的駐兵,此舉立刻招來反彈的聲浪,反對者以王后(現在該改稱太后)與撫育大公主的貴妃為首,他們紛紛派人上朝抗議,輪番質問逼得亨利根本招架不住。513Please respect copyright.PENANA9b4mczuKlU
513Please respect copyright.PENANA2J8SOCgeYv
忙碌了一天,亨利回到寢宮,他剛登基不久,尚未遷入國王專屬的金陽宮,依然住在以王家而言擺設簡樸的白蘿宮,也一樣不要僕人服侍。513Please respect copyright.PENANAnG4bkIxUKi
513Please respect copyright.PENANAUJTRHPd3Qd
甫踏入大門,年輕的國王一口氣都還沒嘆完,便聽見少女的嗓音:513Please respect copyright.PENANApMJlrKPqZA
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「這次你沒有跟我商量就行動了呢。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAFEDOGCQZNh
513Please respect copyright.PENANAmdodGwPUzZ
「啊、蜜拉……」513Please respect copyright.PENANAFFSnjUmIEm
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橙髮少女步出寢居室,這幾個月來,亨利忙於學習政事,但成效不彰,上位之後的各種事項也多虧蜜拉與愛地爾家族幫忙處理,蜜拉更是時常在寢宮裡等候他歸來,縱然兩人還沒有實質的婚約,但她的所作所為儼然是以王妃自居。513Please respect copyright.PENANAoo3nmcsOtB
513Please respect copyright.PENANA3J9bGuY4H3
「我是不是做錯了?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAY7Y2xgRPMC
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客廳昏黃的燈光使少年疲憊的面容看來更加憔悴,亨利踏著沉重的步伐坐到桌前,蜜拉跟著坐到他對面。513Please respect copyright.PENANA2MCYH4tCu6
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「你指哪件事?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAmU8xBA31hT
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「就是──我沒有先跟大家說一聲,就把鴉之森的軍隊叫回來。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAlA6eyb2dr5
513Please respect copyright.PENANAjZl1dXPpwq
「你是國王,下令前還有先跟人解釋的必要嗎?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAeQNqTCqF13
513Please respect copyright.PENANA6f7iAIoWyf
蜜拉將雙臂交疊置於桌面,亨利側對著她,低頭望向地板。513Please respect copyright.PENANAPfkBlgJmFS
513Please respect copyright.PENANAhMc1rn3F7s
「可是……大家都好生氣,我、我也還沒想好要怎麼跟他們說涅澤爾的事。」少年的手抓了衣襬又放,即使頭銜從王子換成國王,他也沒有改變緊張時抓握東西的習慣,「要怎麼說,他們才會知道涅澤爾不是壞人呢?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAz0mAoOizEh
513Please respect copyright.PENANAn3lgwjOuIv
亨利的語氣簡直是在求救,燈火與月光同時打在少年無助的臉龐上,一雙藍眼被染得似紅似紫。513Please respect copyright.PENANAeDrYayBaZF
513Please respect copyright.PENANAO1XQVA4ddv
蜜拉沒有給予答案,而是反問:「你為什麼急著撤離鴉之森的軍隊?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAi6wVv3Oj4l
513Please respect copyright.PENANABWvM4VuYpC
「因為、因為我等很久了──」亨利轉過身來正對著蜜拉,音量不自覺地拔高,「而且,我想、我想告訴涅澤爾,我還是相信他。」蜜拉挑眉,亨利直視她繼續說下去:「如果我都當上國王了,還任由軍隊待在他的森林裡,他說不定……他一定,會覺得我跟其他人一樣。現在大家都說,父王會死是巫師害的,這半年來的天災也全是巫師的錯。我、我不要他覺得我跟那些人一樣。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAlieUjMrpFs
513Please respect copyright.PENANAXRQxIH7iDS
講到最後,亨利的目光再次飄向地面,那話裡的真心無庸置疑,然而他的行為卻顯示出,他似乎沒有不被巫師誤會的自信。513Please respect copyright.PENANAQ7TjdoK3r5
513Please respect copyright.PENANAS7X9RQQWwQ
夜鶯於屋外啼鳴,白蘿宮附近沒有高大的建築,今夜無雲,從這片窗牆往外望,星河彷彿是貼在牆上的壁紙那般清晰可見,但兩人都無心欣賞習以為常的美景。513Please respect copyright.PENANAmuQqW7BwkY
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「那麼,你現在想做的,是改變眾人對巫師的看法?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAtJxlp5nATN
513Please respect copyright.PENANA9KtX8Qy1Jf
「……對?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAxqrYZG2nOS
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少年因為少女的問題昂起頭,又因為她的下一句話垂下頭來:513Please respect copyright.PENANAmBNXyeYOx0
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「怎麼改變?你連證據都沒有。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAk830jhNV0E
513Please respect copyright.PENANASBGx6tKGwT
亨利皺眉苦思,好半晌也講不出個所以然來,說到底,要是光靠他一個人就能想出解決的方法,此刻就無須煩憂了。最後,亨利在蜜拉的注視下說道:513Please respect copyright.PENANA0gr54rhGsn
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「唔……不然、不然我找涅澤爾過來,叫大家聽他解釋。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAzriw5VFewX
513Please respect copyright.PENANAoZ1Mgi1hJy
此話一出,蜜拉不禁輕笑出聲,亨利也明白自己說了蠢話,困窘地駝著背將頭壓得更低,蜜拉抬手掩住下半臉,在笑意漸止後回道:「你認為,正在氣頭上的人聽得進去嗎?大公主可是屍骨未寒,過世都還不到半年哦?」513Please respect copyright.PENANAJEnAFPDmXQ
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「那、那到底該怎麼辦?難道真的要照他們說的,繼續討伐巫師──」513Please respect copyright.PENANAG78LafjjEk
513Please respect copyright.PENANAUzvc63ANZt
「不如嘗試另一條路吧。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAvKd6mWNlXr
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少女截斷少年的話語,後者愣了愣。513Please respect copyright.PENANA6sCKw6F8vI
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「另一條路?」513Please respect copyright.PENANARrd1CJVIck
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蜜拉輕點下頷,談吐的速度依然像以往那般慢條斯理,但她給出的解答並沒有讓亨利回過神來,反倒使他更加呆滯:513Please respect copyright.PENANAowk2RuDFLS
513Please respect copyright.PENANAk1mslMSfJj
「當個有威嚴的國王,你愛做什麼就做什麼,不管你下了什麼命令都沒人有資格質問你。」明明她的口氣溫軟,卻散發出不容質疑的氣質,「明天你就搬到金陽宮去。其他人對你的印象根深蒂固,在他們眼中,你還是那個好欺負的三王子,而不是無比威嚴的王,所以,他們現在才敢這麼對你,你要讓他們知道,國王的命令是絕對的。」513Please respect copyright.PENANADHg9DsWSDx
513Please respect copyright.PENANAN8iJjuHK3G
「可是……但是……那太、我不知道……」513Please respect copyright.PENANARFThLNdgB3
513Please respect copyright.PENANARNNBtavYHh
「讓你在政壇上暢行無阻,這點,我還是做得到的。」少女的捲髮在火光照耀下幾近金紅,少年呆呆地聽著她的話,但那些字句對他而言卻彷彿是自千里之外飄來的樂音,虛渺得脫離現實。「你想做什麼就去做,剩下的事就放心交給我吧。」513Please respect copyright.PENANALtPxLsj41M
513Please respect copyright.PENANAesJGw7A6cb
亨利沉默下來,銀白月光柔和地包圍住兩人,夏季的星空總是比其他季節更加燦爛,一顆顆星子閃動光芒,暗夜無邊,夜鶯不知何時停止了鳴叫,萬物的沉默好似全世界都在等待他的回答,也像是全世界都不在乎他是怎麼想的。513Please respect copyright.PENANAn9tGp4bzQe
513Please respect copyright.PENANAspDFrLKc91
良久,話語才自亨利微張的雙唇溢出:「那……涅澤爾的事……」513Please respect copyright.PENANAwptPAOa4BO
513Please respect copyright.PENANAjHEd6d5anc
「要改變其他人的看法,讓所有人的想法都與你一致,那是不可能的。可是,你可以不用在乎他們。」513Please respect copyright.PENANAZdD2M70zSW
513Please respect copyright.PENANAdclKUTp2vR
少年與少女對望,黑瞳裡火光熠熠,明明他們待在室內,亨利卻產生了千萬星斗都能被納入那雙黑眼的錯覺。513Please respect copyright.PENANAbFQbs40Qf4
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「要是你想見他,就去見吧,現在你已經是王了,連我都不能攔你。」