奧圖倫格的運動神經好得出乎意料,跟漢賽爾比起來當然還是差了一大截,但以七歲小孩而論──年紀是漢賽爾剛剛問的,奧圖倫格今年七歲,過了聖誕夜就滿八歲──算是很了不起了。聽說這孩子沒事就來跟麋鹿玩,或許是如此才練出這般好體力。444Please respect copyright.PENANASJsakKEmpQ
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一來一往你打我閃的一段時間後,漢賽爾感覺肚子有點餓了,才意識到他們還沒吃午餐,於是喊停。444Please respect copyright.PENANA0o9AQAXCVK
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「還是沒辦法打中你……」奧圖倫格的頸子彎得幾乎呈現九十度角,肩膀也垮了下來,「我果然很沒用。」444Please respect copyright.PENANARdB7wQrjZk
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「你不錯了啦,我說真的。」漢賽爾拍了下長髮男孩的背,「去吃午餐唄。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAg9ZIkAe8Ay
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「可是你說要陪我到天黑的。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAiDEIqWKJ46
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「吃完再繼續啊,不然肚子餓就什麼事都做不了啦。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAMGaFQUjK9T
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「好吧……」444Please respect copyright.PENANAmDpQMvxxOj
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被說服的奧圖倫格與漢賽爾沿原路走回村裡,踏回克斯門斯村的街道後,漢賽爾突然問道:444Please respect copyright.PENANALD9EDU8K06
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「那些在各個部門集中工作的人,也會出來吃午飯吧?」444Please respect copyright.PENANAp3EPu4o7aG
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「通常是在甜食部門裡吃。」444Please respect copyright.PENANA9oebMG7eCz
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「那他們有午休時間嗎?」444Please respect copyright.PENANA9w4sXTpAJT
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「嗯。」444Please respect copyright.PENANARv3lthZFKY
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「那我們去找你表哥一起吃午餐怎麼樣?」444Please respect copyright.PENANANWgrqWie3l
444Please respect copyright.PENANAnY5sVtKYhf
奧圖倫格歪著頭考慮了半分鐘,雖然家裡有母親提前準備的蛋糕甜點,但這個提議沒什麼不好,他便欣然同意。444Please respect copyright.PENANAg3KZkjMILN
444Please respect copyright.PENANADK9X4tVnX0
奧圖倫格領著漢賽爾前往甜食部門的途中,兩人又有一搭沒一搭的閒聊,大多是漢賽爾提問、奧圖倫格回答。444Please respect copyright.PENANAHHbVgzf4JF
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「你們村子裡幹嘛養這麼多馴鹿麋鹿梅花鹿啊?那是你們的主食嗎?」444Please respect copyright.PENANA8ID84vp8sP
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「不是,是傳統。」奧圖倫格隨手拿了一個擺在路邊的小鹿玩偶解說,玩偶上還繫著迷你雪橇,「從前克斯門斯族是駕著馴鹿拉的雪橇送聖誕禮物給人類的小孩。現在改用魔法送禮之後,雪橇就派不上用場了,不過鹿群們還是被保留下來,很多村民都會養鹿當寵物。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAWKBm2kZfLq
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「『送』的意思就是免費吧?你們全村是都有錢沒處花嗎?怎麼到現在還沒破產?」444Please respect copyright.PENANAn2wn34Q6Gr
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奧圖倫格單手支著下顎想了一下,搖搖頭,「我也不太清楚,可能要等我長大才能回答你。不過,我爸爸就是送禮部門的喔,但是我們家也沒有很窮。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAmYmHxHoA43
444Please respect copyright.PENANAUy4f33UcS2
幾分鐘後,兩人來到巨型烤爐的大門前,數人高的門扉緊閉,這扇看起來以一人之力難以推開的木門八成只是個裝飾品,因為奧圖倫格並沒有將其開啟,而是走向另一側不起眼的小門,招呼漢賽爾跟著進入。444Please respect copyright.PENANA6mb7R1eL89
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克斯門斯村跟耶拉比起來本就不怎麼冷,烤爐裡的溫度更是比外頭高上不少,畢竟廚房這種場所會熱也是理所當然的,但待在裡頭的人全穿著看起來熱得要命的聖誕老人裝。444Please respect copyright.PENANA9bulYFG1pc
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漢賽爾脫掉外套,奧圖倫格則跑去跟離他們最近的廚子搭話,目前看來克斯門斯村的人好似都彼此認識。444Please respect copyright.PENANAMyxFyUQT8x
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「叔叔,我來找我表哥,請問他在哪裡?」444Please respect copyright.PENANA6O9Llth1K5
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「那邊,」正在揉麵糰的男子指了個方向,「單人工作區都在那裡,門上應該有掛名牌。」男子回答完後本來要低下頭繼續揉麵糰,在瞥見奧圖倫格身旁的漢賽爾後,又抬起頭來,「這位新來的小朋友是誰呀?奧圖倫格。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAhWQzb1Xtuk
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漢賽爾隨便揮個手當作打招呼,男子問話的同時也有幾個人好奇地望過來,奧圖倫格回應:「他叫做漢賽爾,是跟表哥一起回來的。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAD84wGF9kix
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男子呆了一下,隨後又露出漢賽爾在馴鹿放養區的哨兵身上見過的眼神,跟其他人一同審視了他一會兒,才道:「小弟弟,你今年幾歲?」444Please respect copyright.PENANAPpZG1SpI0b
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「十八歲。」漢賽爾照實回答,不覺得有隱瞞的必要,「因為一點意外所以變成現在這個樣子啦,不過我真的是十八歲,不信你去問凱帝。」見男人半信半疑的神色,漢賽爾不大高興地補充說明。444Please respect copyright.PENANAvXQDLAhdiD
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眾人的目光搞得漢賽爾渾身不自在,男人回了句「這樣啊」,奧圖倫格跟大人們道別後才帶漢賽爾往男人指示的方向走去。444Please respect copyright.PENANAjgtVvxfWci
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真奇怪,自己是有什麼地方惹到這些人了嗎?還是因為他沒穿跟他們一樣的「制服」?漢賽爾有點疑惑,但也沒特別在意,進了凱帝所處的單人廚房後,他馬上就將這小小的問題給拋諸腦後。奧圖倫格有禮的敲了門,可他剛敲完漢賽爾不等回應就直接把門打開,有敲跟沒敲一樣。444Please respect copyright.PENANAv6wF6u59e1
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當男孩們推門而入時,金髮青年並沒有在吃午餐,整個工作間根本看不出來是廚房,倒像是葛麗特的魔法研究室,完成的甜點被隔離開來擺在靠近入口的大桌上,桌邊有幾張椅子。444Please respect copyright.PENANAFM8kLdnAFn
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凱帝在看到他們時愣了一下,才放下手邊的工作走過來,「你們來這裡做什麼?」444Please respect copyright.PENANA6VcGEXgIqe
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「蹭飯啊,我餓了。」漢賽爾回的乾脆,奧圖倫格也點點頭。444Please respect copyright.PENANAOXO5MsuQKN
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聽這回答,凱帝索性從桌上挑了兩塊大蛋糕塞給男孩們,漢賽爾說了聲「謝啦」就坐到椅子上吃了起來,端著蛋糕盤的奧圖倫格則猶疑著該不該拿起刀叉,在凱帝摸摸他的頭說了「你們吃掉沒關係,我會再補齊」才道了謝開始進食。444Please respect copyright.PENANA8UZ41K74Uc
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「克斯門斯族是有規定一定要穿紅衣嗎?」漢賽爾對坐到他身旁的凱帝問,現在後者穿的也是與奧圖倫格同樣的裝束,只差沒戴聖誕帽。444Please respect copyright.PENANAcNvs4KquEC
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「算是有吧,聖誕節將近的時候全村都會這樣穿,如果不穿別人可能會覺得你很奇怪。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAotaeXLunLS
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難道沒穿聖誕老人裝真是他被盯著的主因?漢賽爾默想,又見凱帝盯著他似乎在思考什麼,他隨手扠了一塊蛋糕硬塞進對方嘴裡,「你不吃午餐喔?」444Please respect copyright.PENANACfK2aGIpYi
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差點被噎到的凱帝把蛋糕勉強吞下去,又倒了杯水來灌才回答:「我吃過了。」語畢,他又看向坐在漢賽爾隔壁的表弟,詢問:「奧圖倫格,你們今天還好嗎?」444Please respect copyright.PENANArGlsB0yXKP
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被點名的男孩點點頭,似乎沒打算在吃東西時張嘴,凱帝又問:「你們來的時候有遇到別人嗎?」444Please respect copyright.PENANADQOlxSZohS
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「廢話,你當外面那群廚師都是假人喔?」444Please respect copyright.PENANA5a2h89fUzB
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回答的是漢賽爾,凱帝無奈地續道:444Please respect copyright.PENANACPNeLGezg5
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「我的意思是,你們有跟人交談嗎?」444Please respect copyright.PENANA6jGgX3jXff
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「有啊,外面有個揉麵糰的大叔,問我是誰。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAX9uBSeB2yb
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「那你怎麼回答?」444Please respect copyright.PENANA0qT3brSrAk
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不知怎地,漢賽爾總覺得凱帝雖然還是笑臉迎人,可是問出這話時的感覺有點緊張,「我們就說我是跟你來的啊,幹嘛?不是本來就這樣嗎?」444Please respect copyright.PENANAVnMWlv3UzP
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「嗯……的確是本來就這樣沒錯。」聽男孩的答覆,金髮青年單手撐額,看起來好像有點頭痛,漢賽爾還沒問是有哪兒不對,凱帝又問:「那你們兩個今天在做什麼?有去哪裡玩嗎?」444Please respect copyright.PENANAvGPsmNheKe
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這下換漢賽爾尷尬了,他到底要不要把教別人表弟打架的事說出口?而漢賽爾才遲疑了不到一秒,吃完蛋糕的奧圖倫格就代替他回應了:444Please respect copyright.PENANABpt3NjeMGj
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「我們在街上散步,然後去鹿群放養區讓漢賽爾教我怎麼打架。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAUYCt502rQD
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「是你表弟堅持的!不是我想欺負他!絕對不是我先起頭的!」漢賽爾大聲說道以示自己的清白,凱帝在聽見「打架」二字時就怔了,這真的不是他的錯啊!「對吧奧圖倫格?」444Please respect copyright.PENANAY4oBl4zbzM
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「嗯?嗯,對呀,因為漢賽爾說打架是不會魔法的人也能做的事,我就拜託他教我了。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAi8mJaA6Z6V
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……他剛剛在陪小鬼練習的時候怎麼沒還手?漢賽爾瞪了奧圖倫格一眼,又面向凱帝,「可是我也有說我不想教他啊,是他很想學我才勉為其難的答應。而且我沒有打你表弟喔!只有讓他試試看能不能打中我而已!」444Please respect copyright.PENANABKWW44Fm7O
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「那你有被打到嗎?」漢賽爾慌亂聲明的模樣讓凱帝不禁覺得有些好笑,前者抬起下巴,得意的回:444Please respect copyright.PENANABcTgoAYRK0
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「當然沒有,你以為我是誰啊?」444Please respect copyright.PENANAXpvKVH8viY
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「嗯,那就好。」凱帝拍拍漢賽爾的頭,後者甩甩腦袋將前者的手弄開,凱帝又對奧圖倫格問道:「你們這樣做我是沒什麼意見,不會受傷就好……可是,奧圖倫格,你想學打架的話,為什麼不找你媽媽呢?」444Please respect copyright.PENANALCI7K0y8OY
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全村人都知道,黑林阿姨的武力值八成是克斯門斯村裡最高的,聽說多年前村裡的鹿群發生暴動,全靠黑林阿姨以一人之力阻擋!如此勇猛的母親生下的兒子想學習拳腳功夫,在凱帝看來也不是多奇怪的事。444Please respect copyright.PENANAb7VZMxYCeR
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「媽媽很忙。還有她說我現在這種樣子,去找麋鹿玩就差不多了。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAxDLnmFXpxp
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長髮男孩語氣失落,凱帝將手伸去想摸摸頭安慰,但經過夾在兩人中間的漢賽爾時手就被攔下、放到嘴裡用力咬,漢賽爾將凱帝的手吐出來後對奧圖倫格說道:「意思就是你媽覺得你弱爆了懶得跟你玩吧?放心啦,我絕對會幫你讓你媽對你刮目相看的。」444Please respect copyright.PENANAI1JKgt2boL
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漢賽爾拍胸脯保證,也不管他不久前才覺得自己不適合當教師,幾分鐘前又說了不想教。444Please respect copyright.PENANAY0ZAsR0saX