
第五章:名為皇女的威壓
房間的空氣還沒完全沉靜下來,一道更強的氣場就悄然進場。37Please respect copyright.PENANAcKGUz1jXmN
門再度被推開,腳步聲穩定,未見倉促也無半點遲疑。37Please respect copyright.PENANAKqzEUPkbsC
走進來的是帝國皇女,瑪利安貝爾。37Please respect copyright.PENANAajnO4evA5Z她沒穿任何戰袍或儀典大衣,依舊是那套筆挺無瑕的帝國女學院制服。藏藍色短外套與銀灰裙襬隨動靜自然擺盪,金絲鈕釦與絲帶規整貼合,細節俐落,步伐安靜,每一步都讓人不自覺起身讓位。37Please respect copyright.PENANAm6DDwI3gRZ
她一眼掃過房間,首先朝阿薩琳微微低頭,語氣溫和卻明確:「打擾了。作為客人,我應先向主家致意。」37Please respect copyright.PENANASO6N1BnYbP
這一句,瞬間劃定了主客之分。37Please respect copyright.PENANAAlYtglXWdS
阿薩琳微怔,然後點頭還禮:「請坐,皇女殿下。」37Please respect copyright.PENANAau6zENXt3S
瑪利安貝爾的眼神才轉向安威,彷彿早就知道他會在這裡。她一邊坐下,一邊開口,語氣仍是禮貌範本:「我剛才在門外,聽見了幾句……挺有趣的話。」37Please respect copyright.PENANAA2lRgz2feS
安威被她看得有點發毛,試圖拉回主導權:「喔,妳是說剛才那個提親什麼的嗎?開玩笑啦,只是為了緩和氣氛——」37Please respect copyright.PENANAS8hXOqOQV8
「一句話若可致兩國於戰,閣下以為這是幽默嗎?」她打斷他,語調還是那麼溫柔。37Please respect copyright.PENANAW5vlWaQCDv
但全場溫度瞬間下降。37Please respect copyright.PENANAAdxyicahhc
安威笑容有些僵:「我……當然不是這個意思。」37Please respect copyright.PENANAfZcZTbSQgy
「那意思是什麼呢?你希望凡提洛斯因一句戲言而懷疑帝國的態度?還是希望我們未來在外交聲明裡加註括號:『此為玩笑』?」37Please respect copyright.PENANAkg6r8eY7xO
安威一時語塞。37Please respect copyright.PENANAjAaygEZ0TH
瑪利安貝爾語速不快:「我們三國皆以武立國。兵者,守國之骨。你提出聯姻,將自己視為王配候選人,那麼……」37Please respect copyright.PENANANSYHSmwbmx
她視線稍微側轉,語氣輕描淡寫:37Please respect copyright.PENANAz6z3dFxAbs
「一旦戰火重燃,你是會親自領軍迎敵,還是推阿薩琳殿下當盾?」37Please respect copyright.PENANAkIqqVC6cja
空氣霎時靜到能聽見牆角的茶壺輕響。37Please respect copyright.PENANA7KKGR0rAcL
安威臉色青白交錯,嘴巴張開卻吐不出一句話。37Please respect copyright.PENANAabsYZ4HDK5
「……我……我自然也——」37Please respect copyright.PENANAFGf0FqaREF
「也會奉獻。」瑪利安貝爾點頭,幫他把話補完,然後笑了,「這麼說我就放心了。」37Please respect copyright.PENANAKzzIeC7in3
場面徹底被她收掉。37Please respect copyright.PENANAYFYW3GFoUy
安威臉部肌肉抽動幾下,起身欲辯又不敢開口,只得低頭拂袖離去。37Please respect copyright.PENANA6Tby5mHYE4
門砰一聲關上。37Please respect copyright.PENANA4ZxJcgZbWB
房間重新回到靜默狀態。37Please respect copyright.PENANACcJFJmrtib
阿薩琳微微挑眉,望向皇女:「……謝謝你剛才那段話。」37Please respect copyright.PENANAJQ3EnkZ6pG
「我只是把該說的話說出來而已。」瑪利安貝爾語氣淡淡,低頭輕啜一口茶。37Please respect copyright.PENANAqHK464CadL
「但說得很漂亮。」阿薩琳輕聲說。37Please respect copyright.PENANAd36yl4lMuJ
兩人目光對上,隔著茶桌的短暫沉默裡,某種過去未曾建立的信任正在慢慢成形。37Please respect copyright.PENANA6IjbZ5IiPh
而此時,一旁的亞利終於記起「自己還在場」這件事。37Please respect copyright.PENANAvjir2TeBLb
他連忙站起,行了一個過於端正的貴族禮:「亞利・賽巴斯達,在此向皇女殿下致意。」瑪利安貝爾微頓,回頭看著他,眼神裡有什麼東西淡淡滑過。37Please respect copyright.PENANAIhFXXX7IcT
……見外。37Please respect copyright.PENANAK89daAGLQ9
她沒有糾正,只是回了一個簡短的點頭。37Please respect copyright.PENANAU0isIH8PX2
「坐吧,少爺。」她語氣一如往常,卻少了剛才的笑意。37Please respect copyright.PENANAsgaE2NMohh
亞利坐下來,心裡開始反省自己是不是又做錯什麼。37Please respect copyright.PENANAmZ33LkounY
但很快,他沒時間多想。37Please respect copyright.PENANAW6EggiGhNO
因為桌上熱茶已續上三杯。37Please respect copyright.PENANANLtBNT0d8c
三人間短暫的小談開始,不再關乎外交,也沒有正義與威脅。37Please respect copyright.PENANAk8I0jy7TjZ
話題繞到今天的花車遊行,還有某位巴洛姆代表的空降現場表演。37Please respect copyright.PENANAIfpR0gqowU
阿薩琳笑得像終於能換氣的學生,瑪利安貝爾不時低聲附和,亞利則在一旁當安靜觀眾,偶爾補一句吐槽。37Please respect copyright.PENANAJUr8SCGkyV
客室的空氣總算回暖。37Please respect copyright.PENANA5Iq63rxwB0
——
當晚,在安威私人房間——37Please respect copyright.PENANAn9hEaCz1OI
「她們都看不起我!」37Please respect copyright.PENANABjJglh3HOO
砰——椅子摔到牆邊,腳椅斷裂翻滾。37Please respect copyright.PENANA3HTpSN1RmL安威喘著氣,一把掀翻書桌,茶具碎裂,桌燈歪倒,紙張飛散。37Please respect copyright.PENANAJQeJ7oFo1B
房裡的侍從早已退得不見蹤影,只剩他一人站在狼藉之中。37Please respect copyright.PENANA0hAicvCWFd
「憑什麼?她們有什麼好驕傲的?!」37Please respect copyright.PENANANNXE0QE0ZC
他對著鏡子咆哮,卻看到鏡子裡自己的臉還掛著被揍後的腫痕——即便化妝遮掩,依舊難掩那一記拳頭的存在。37Please respect copyright.PENANAi2I3CxStVQ
他喘得更急。37Please respect copyright.PENANAEc2Of3hF71
「……父王說,要我想辦法奪下凡提洛斯……這是我的任務……是交差用的婚姻……我沒有選擇……」37Please respect copyright.PENANACIMwwsOloK
語氣越來越低,最後成為幾乎聽不見的嘶啞低語:37Please respect copyright.PENANAyg9sR1osMu
「……但父親……從來也沒看過我一眼吧。」37Please respect copyright.PENANArdc7yhPqsv
他靠著牆,緩緩滑坐地面,眼神發直。37Please respect copyright.PENANA7TXgKLUPIZ
整間房,只剩掉在地上的燭台微微晃動,在牆上拉出一條搖搖晃晃的陰影。