
城主的孫女韓寧,將要帶領著金蝗城的精銳戰士隨同任務小隊一起到火炎山來協助完成任務
金蝗城上空的陽光已經開始西斜。經歷了將近一整日的血戰與混亂,城牆上殘留著獸人血漬與焦痕的石面在夕陽下訴說著這一天的慘烈戰況。大白天裡還在暗潮洶湧的情感糾葛,在城門打開、伊莉莎公主與其他人魚貫而入的那一刻,便如一陣風,暫時從所有人的心頭吹散。28Please respect copyright.PENANAcTsi50EfXn
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現實比心事更為沉重。28Please respect copyright.PENANATruEZYuueM
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古柏城主在得知伊莉莎為了對抗最後一波獸人騎兵,耗盡幾乎所有法力,甚至連基礎的魔力迴圈都陷入混亂後,沉默良久。這種情況對接下來通往火炎山的任務而言,是致命的劣勢。眾所皆知,失去中階以上的法術施展力,等同一位法師失去了靈魂的羽翼。更何況,這並不是為了她自己的國度,而是為了金蝗城。28Please respect copyright.PENANA3uN6XEC75P
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「你們為金蝗城所付出的,」古柏城主聲音低沉,語氣中帶著不容置疑的決斷,「我古柏·銀環不會以空言酬報。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAEgw3vAFSdM
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他的目光銳利地掠過在場眾人,最後落在身旁的一位少女身上。28Please respect copyright.PENANAtitur3kdpW
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「我會派出我的孫女,韓寧·銀環,隨你們一同前往火炎山。她將帶領一支由我們精選出的護衛隊,護送你們離開平原,直抵邊境。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAt7OjKxVo0k
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站在他身後的少女緩緩上前,銀白色長髮如夜雪般飄逸,眼中燃燒著不屬於凡人的火焰。她身著兼具靈動與防禦的鍊金皮甲,腰間掛著短杖與長劍——極為罕見的搭配,象徵著她所走的雙重修行之路。28Please respect copyright.PENANApUTZAJAsRk
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「這是……武法雙修之人?」艾利歐特驚訝地望向韓寧。28Please respect copyright.PENANAKyZxndImNn
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「是的,」城主淡然一笑,眼中卻流露出某種近乎驕傲的情感,「我們光牆內的貴族子弟通常不鼓勵這種作法,因為他們怕不能樣樣精通。但她……她的命運另有安排。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAm6oZ6ld3Mw
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他頓了頓,講起一段連塔庫魯都豎起耳朵傾聽的故事:28Please respect copyright.PENANAqWyv9A0aEM
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「她從小修習法術,十六歲那年,韓寧在荒原中誤闖進一座已廢棄的火神聖壇,算是年幼無知,誤把交戰中『火蓮蜥』、『白雪寒蛤』一起吃下肚去了。要知道這兩者都不是可以單獨食之,老實說,通常也很難捕捉到,想抓的人早就成為他們的點心了。但就因為這兩隻當時是互咬著對方,火岩之力和寒冰之力剛好互抵、互斥,居然是完全抵消了,所以可為我的韓寧所趁。這兩者的力量在她體內交融,既無法完全淨化,也未將她焚盡或是凍斃……結果,她活下來了,且獲得前所未有的力量。」28Please respect copyright.PENANALQRgTKHYkH
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韓寧低垂眼眸,語聲柔和卻堅定:「那時起,我便知道自己已無法只走單一路徑。命運將雙刃交於我手中,我便不會讓任何一邊斷裂。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAjqKATS0MN4
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艾利歐特忍不住多看了她一眼,在這女子身上,他感受到一種與伊莉莎截然不同的氣息——那是一種燒盡一切疑慮、卻依然能靜如止水的力量。28Please respect copyright.PENANAqVYlcxcnpu
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而瑪麗瑟夫人站在一旁,似笑非笑地看了派緹一眼,像是察覺到少女方才的失落又迅速壓抑回去。她的指尖在披風邊緣輕撫,仿若一名看透塵世風波的女巫般觀察著一切。28Please respect copyright.PENANAvzKzogAkUj
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塔庫魯望著韓寧,低聲喃喃:「這姑娘可不簡單……不過,希望她別也是那種會讓人類男子神魂顛倒的麻煩精。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAtjxWJe9ic4
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露西在一旁聽見,忍不住翻了個白眼:「這話你就對著艾利歐特說去吧,別來煩我們普通人。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAVOubp6WyZf
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那一夜,金蝗城罕見地安靜下來,連風聲都似乎知曉這座古老城池剛經歷了血與火的洗禮。28Please respect copyright.PENANAIQ6Ut2t2jj
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援軍們分別被安排在城中不同的宅邸休整。眾人疲憊不堪,法力透支,筋骨酸痛,甚至連派緹也卸下了弓囊,靜靜坐在月下的石階上,望著遠方那已沉沒於夜色的山巒。28Please respect copyright.PENANA9oRvGpxCGv
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她知道,真正的考驗……才正要開始。28Please respect copyright.PENANAPbHIyKJk1W
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夜色如墨,將金蝗城覆上了一層柔和的靜謐。風從塔樓與高牆之間穿梭,帶來夜露初降的涼意,但對於方才歷經血戰的眾人而言,這卻是久違的安寧時分。28Please respect copyright.PENANAnjFUHEahfO
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塔庫魯、蓋達與艾利歐特三人,洗過熱水澡,換上乾淨柔軟的亞麻衣物後,正坐在西塔的露台上。那裡俯瞰整座城池,遠處火炬搖曳、屋瓦鋪陳如棋盤,宛如夜神靜臥於城池之上。28Please respect copyright.PENANAtDftrutxat
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「唉,今天若不是我這條腿還隱隱作痛,否則獸人那幾個大傢伙,哪輪得到他們叫囂半句?」蓋達一邊喝著溫酒,一邊仰頭哼哼唧唧道,「錯失在佳人面前英勇展現的機會,真是讓我扼腕啊……」28Please respect copyright.PENANAUoehNHdzwt
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塔庫魯咧嘴一笑,手裡抓著一塊烤得香脆的鹹牛肉,「你只是不甘心派緹跟那艾利歐特眉來眼去罷了。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAQU1RuGxHVb
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「我那叫關心戰友!」蓋達嘴硬地反駁,但耳根卻泛紅。28Please respect copyright.PENANABxrtgi1Zse
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「不過,說實話,這澡還真不錯。」他一臉滿足地伸展四肢,「骨頭都像換了一副似的,明日開始,我蓋達又會是一尾活龍啦!」28Please respect copyright.PENANALSE8ZLhRZ5
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艾利歐特失笑搖頭,手中的銀杯在指間輕輕轉動,眺望遠方。28Please respect copyright.PENANARwI7BE6JIW
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這時,一道身影悄然而至,如月影般輕柔地落在露台石階上。三人同時轉頭,只見瑪麗瑟夫人,披著半透明的銀紗長袍,腳步無聲,宛如從星光中走出的幻影。28Please respect copyright.PENANAnID4ukOF6V
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「夫人?」蓋達率先開口,表情帶著幾分錯愕。28Please respect copyright.PENANA4yoQIJ9qD3
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瑪麗瑟微微一笑,神情坦然,語聲如水泉潺潺:「請恕我深夜打擾,幾位勇者今晚的表現,城主與我皆看在眼中,心中感激……但我,是為另一事而來。」28Please respect copyright.PENANATH7kK5Etqu
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她的目光輕柔地落在艾利歐特身上,那神情既像探尋,又似渴望重逢的確信。28Please respect copyright.PENANARczoNm5I1b
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「艾利歐特,你可知……你身上流著天神族的血脈?」28Please respect copyright.PENANAZcqCpLCy6G
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露台一時寂靜無聲。塔庫魯斜倚在欄杆上,眯起了眼;蓋達則一臉錯愕,酒杯幾乎掉落。28Please respect copyright.PENANAiAV1o4Y4Jc
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艾利歐特微微一皺眉,回以平穩的語氣:「這我實在一無所悉。我父母仍在世,自幼也未曾有人提及此事。若真有此淵源,只能等任務結束後回鄉一問方知。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAOaQE20DUdK
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瑪麗瑟緩緩點頭,神情間卻透出一絲難言的惋惜:「你體內的血脈,與我非常接近,幾乎如同……某位至親的分支。我之所以來此,只是想澄清一些流言與猜測。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAmnPKkSOoe1
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她望向艾利歐特,目光裡透出坦白與柔情:「你也知道,我對你……言行或許過於親近了些,已引來些許議論。我不願因此讓你難堪。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAOutF8jNTDs
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塔庫魯輕輕挑眉,沒說話,只是從鼻中發出一聲低沉的哼聲,像是在警示什麼。28Please respect copyright.PENANABDz9pCM0el
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艾利歐特神色自若,微微起身,躬身一禮,語調不失禮貌卻亦如寒星般堅定:28Please respect copyright.PENANA6u7rSH8rJu
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「夫人對我厚愛,我銘感五內。然則身處任務艱危之時,我唯願以劍與信念為念,對夫人之情,自當持之以禮,不越雷池。」28Please respect copyright.PENANA7mzdKGT8z3
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語氣委婉,卻語中有刺,如風中劍鞘中閃現的一絲寒芒。蓋達聽得一頭霧水,只在一旁搔著頭,小聲嘀咕:「說了什麼?好像是謝謝?還是拒絕?」28Please respect copyright.PENANAT2X7GY48zl
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瑪麗瑟微微一怔,隨即輕笑起來,那笑聲有些落寞,卻也有一絲釋然。28Please respect copyright.PENANAyGn7bn3Oob
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「你是個正直的好人,艾利歐特,」她道,轉身欲離去,「我會尊重你的選擇。」28Please respect copyright.PENANATuOLqhaILl
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當她的足音漸遠,消失於迴廊盡頭時,塔庫魯終於轉頭看向艾利歐特,聲音低沉帶笑:「你那句話……說得比斧頭還鋒利。不過她聽懂了。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAIn8CogCdZG
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「你也聽懂了?」艾利歐特挑眉。28Please respect copyright.PENANASZs1nom0R5
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「當然,」塔庫魯指了指蓋達,「他沒聽懂,但我不是他。」28Please respect copyright.PENANAsqV9YYeV9w
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蓋達一臉懵然:「你們到底剛才說了什麼?我怎麼覺得風涼涼的……」28Please respect copyright.PENANAZPsteHmBIn
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三人相視一笑,露台再度歸於靜謐。星光如雪,灑落在他們的肩頭,一如命運尚未揭曉的明日。28Please respect copyright.PENANAMSnSIzeSEP