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347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9i2kPpwcmK
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1XKejASUD
隨後的幾天，我幾乎都待在〈白城〉城堡花園摸熟四周的環境。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwdPslWnN8
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkaKZpW0L8
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LjPlrp0Nl
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRigkuz2Az
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SZvmMwLSl
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFi3BtGtzu
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVco6xAxgki
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTHVcoQPIf
過了一會後，房門被打開的聲音傳入我耳中。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpMlLFhhub
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07nu3VkEkT
框啷！347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4A51IPWECG
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tSPzrz6Ug
清脆的撞擊聲隨之響起。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2ntNVw2v4
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcNjB0qJW3
框啷！347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx20vId2qVg
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSSRJyKoei
我光用聽的就曉得來者的身分。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3iqeqVVrX
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PDZfp67WV
「早安，吉莎小姐。」我抬起頭朝聲音來源的方向打招呼。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMTl9dGKfJ
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocDFFnOyYK
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjko7gQUtYq
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJASnhNxncj
「請用早點，海倫娜閣下。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCz9BdSBoxp
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjhjIuNaVy2
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyncjxT34z
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcXk4Yk0i4
「不好意思，吉莎小姐。」我對她說：「我就不享用餐點了。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF8aiIp7Vo
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD56QTBBWjO
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF32P6hnRxL
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHYoB9ANAB
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8igYwxF3D
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYBr7olIzk
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbapVWID67E
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aB9jzl3Ei
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ByI8SzDTU
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEe6NeLq6I
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIYMtyg5a7
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡim3ieXXGoJ
「咦？這話的意思是——」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lBmxLL6eT
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyIsGaQRRQ
「您品嚐一口便知，直接用手取食即可。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8ANaf4Aag
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj37WMypLws
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XEcwVykHz
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPaEl6V77U
「請問還合您的胃口嗎，海倫娜閣下？」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLfadFgr8g
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTeM7kxvoY
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11Fy6WRS3C
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNdyzudttZ
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfKupRXkIo
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImtuVXE4z3
「是的，我想這種食物應該不會......違背赤足修院的教義。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcEPzLZMeK
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCk89SBS8xU
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPl1nvN18Ea
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbeSyBSdNp
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf3Nd4HSul
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRfN3qYrIQ
「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。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEjF8oj3ux
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7Sf6As8qD
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OgjLUNyGG
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlNkiD2RRC
「總之，我就不打擾您用餐。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBIh2gvGhX
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIgfg7QQR4
語畢，陶杯之間的撞擊聲再度響起。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBY08ysoc0
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEWLFrIDwJ
這次它是逐漸離我遠去，代表吉莎正要離開房間。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqTHCmEtys
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfu6rylHxOf
「對了，吉莎小姐。」我出聲叫住她。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ML0dKYm3Y
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWyY0BrdBf
「請問有什麼吩咐嗎？」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWb4y6hIuw
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YUwR923U4
「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？」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNER1WezWrX
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmIwoujvaC
「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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0bvEPW63k
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymo1mphCH4
「有沒有更加私人一點的東西呢？」我再問。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5l8F8DZaiD
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbD2W4UO50L
「假如殿下的行為更可靠一點，我就不會這麼累了。」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqHWzda2Dm
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZ0YOVco2v
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！347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoeqsRx1K5
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorAnE9Yhxx
「真要說的話......孩子......吧？」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBT3APtSLuM
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjn5RsTSs8u
沉默了一會兒，吉莎才以淡淡的口吻低語。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQNBfX8jcs
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOou1eyBtcW
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQGa3wd8Hm
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFJWbM540Z
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。347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDrHkzCOuA
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfD3EHVHce
所以——347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGK9HnaHUUX
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehm8JVenxn
「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......」347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47WB23kIcc
347Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeGqoHgxlD
所以，這句意義不明話我大概是聽錯了吧？
