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一股突如其來的暖流入侵了沉沉的夢境。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04aZIELHoF
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsORU2E4s6
周圍的溫度似乎越來越高，彷彿置身於浴場的蒸氣室一樣悶熱。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv52t7lGZfO
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJm3QnnKEfR
沒過多久，一層黏膩的汗意逐漸包裹住身子。這層汗就像是個不透風的罩子似的，使得體內的溫度越來越高，直到讓人受不了為止。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxAFfLJ9ky
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7T6YmzX6A
「嗚嗯......好熱......！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiZv7rf5as
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGIjcI0Jj6
烏爾莉卡.西蒙納多蒂爾(Ulrika Símonardóttir)正是在如此不適的情況下被熱醒過來。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEC3xxhvc9I
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76YGAPFcHQ
幾乎是同一時間，她驚覺周遭的景色和物品全變了樣！1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnSYyXDttb
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EtTtG6CA8
裝潢奢華的寬敞臥房——消失了，映入眼簾的是個坪數不大的幽暗小空間。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ooTwX2icA
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLtZUhg3Wr
高級絲綢所製成的床鋪——也不見了，反而變成一張觸感陌生的羊毛地毯。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbO8A035rG9
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyKzRTiSt0
窗外大雪紛飛的銀白色世界——更是消逝得無影無蹤，取而代之的是一顆熾熱的黃色火球掛在天上，滾燙的正午陽光直接透過窗口撒在她身上。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKG0siEpOP
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpRvXUVVDW
天翻地覆的改變，讓烏爾莉卡的腦袋一時反應不過來。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVu3u8ZXwNq
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4Jc74GKwY
「我是誰？我在哪？我在幹甚麼？」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbeaGQ61zR
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z3Sz5hoDz
烏爾莉卡感到口乾舌燥、呼吸急促，有點換不過氣來。她的手緊緊的抓住胸口的衣服，想減輕痛苦，但酷暑般的天氣令她感到渾身都不對勁，更別說穿在身上的羊毛衣都被汗水給浸濕了。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyjHy3EEgE
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5VCsDYsz6
「我......這裡是......在哪裡？」她低聲呢喃著。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywCWgE2asW
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnHpfAUQG2
烏爾莉卡一隻手撫著額頭，一隻手撐起身子，並感受到從指尖傳來羊毛地毯舒適柔軟的觸感。這張毛毯的顏色又紅又花，不論樣式或織法皆是她所沒見過的。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLlTYfnW3o
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzh5d571Y9
「嗚嗯，身子怎麼會酸成這樣！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBT9xCawAj
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwdSFZMybM
不過還沒來得及佩服編織者精緻的技藝，烏爾莉卡隨即感覺到背和腰傳來陣陣痠痛，這大概是因為她還未適應睡地板上的緣故。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm88lRGE1NJ
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwK86mkxRE
為了減緩身體上的疼痛，她環顧四周觀察環境來分散注意力。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuarCW0JCtQ
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TKq2zCGjr
烏爾莉卡發覺自己正躺在一間只有幾坪大的矮房內，房子本身是由光滑的石頭和泥土所打造。房間內沒有椅子，只有幾顆枕頭和一張圓形的木製矮桌。而且這棟矮房的窗戶沒有窗扇或窗簾，基本上沒有任何遮蔽功能。這和烏爾莉卡家鄉為了保暖和阻擋寒氣，而將幾乎都窗戶的設計封死相差甚遠；顯然是跟此地炎熱的天氣有關。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGDxDj44kb
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiiFsxtGFR
也因為如此，陽光毫無阻礙地透入這一間低矮的土房，照在烏爾莉卡身上。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxV57fpXrjz
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJkYOIY2dv
身處於遙遠的異地，無論氣溫或氣味都極為陌生。唯獨從窗外飄來的海風帶來一點鹹味為烏爾莉卡帶來一絲慰藉，因為那是和她家鄉唯一的相似之物。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBsFUAYNpR
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeMqfol1yJ
然而，烏爾莉卡人生中最重要的聯繫——她的女兒——竟在當下完全不知去向。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwa13r6k7n
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWrRr5ziEX
「莎薇？莎薇怎麼不見了！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMTFPjVLFZ
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqsVEGpSFf
烏爾莉卡的女兒——名叫莎薇的十歲女兒——她本來應該睡在她身邊。可是醒來後，她竟然卻完全不知去向，房間內也不見她的身影。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUg49k76Tm0
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdIfvnYj9p
「這孩子跑哪兒去了？莎薇！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXbpQGehJK
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKXUohrJVu
烏爾莉卡立刻衝到房外，來不及穿鞋的她仍打著赤腳，身上也僅僅穿著一件極為貼身的室內用羊毛衣。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vSsLOaxRu
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnOZPXETP4
首先映入眼簾的，是坐落於山腳下的巨大海灣，數百艘大大小小的船隻停泊於海灣之中，它們或駛入、或離港，看起來好不忙碌。緊接著的是一望無際的海洋在眼前展開，一直延伸至連結著廣裘無際藍天的視野盡頭。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEeipRdq62
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEe9eLBRjid
這座城市本身位於一個海灣的西岸，城市內所有的建築物沿著山坡上升，密密麻麻、層層疊疊的地分布著各個房屋和街區。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdx6y4JO5eE
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEU1nmjfeR5
至於烏爾莉卡所居住的這棟低矮民房，就跟其他數百棟房屋一樣比鄰而居地蓋在山坡上頭。它們皆通通皆是由純白色的石塊建造而成，耀眼的白色石塊推砌於山坡上，錯落層疊的幢幢白屋、片片白牆、塊塊白屋頂，白牆鑲嵌雕花鐵窗，白屋裝飾雕花大鐵門，呈現出迴異於烏爾莉卡家鄉的異國風情。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV498UtCKjU
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnagpDZue9J
只不過在這個當下，烏爾莉卡完全沒將這幅獨特的美景放在眼裡——心急如焚的她心中只有女兒，那也是她人生中唯一在乎的事情。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKf6NqNSYmq
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZQ9ncd2IC
「莎薇？莎薇！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoB3DcSKYV7
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DfNi9Sp3x
她環顧四周，只差沒出聲高喊出女兒的名字。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOn8vEQ1gq
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrADme80VY
「啊，您已經睡醒了嗎？」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORE9DqQ3Xk
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiv8qogmLp
正當烏爾莉卡心亂如麻之際，清脆的男孩嗓音自她背後傳來。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9x9KBrTcPE
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1Szpn9KtK
轉過身，她看見一名少年；甚至稱之為男孩都不為過。他雙手各提著一桶水，望著烏爾莉卡的臉上露出些許驚訝。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbXn4noM45
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKHtWNRb9o
少年的年紀絕對不超過十二歲，肌膚色呈小麥色，搭配瘦小卻精壯的身子，散發出一絲野性氛圍。帶有亮澤烏黑的自然捲頭髮下，點綴著端正清秀的五官。雙烏黑明亮的雙目，像是從夜空墜落凡間的兩顆星星。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHojjANf3c
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqWleBuht7
不過最引人注目的，或許是他頭頂上一對橢圓狀的大獸耳、一根臀部上方探出來如掃帚般的長尾巴，默默訴說初他身為一隻『斑點鬣狗獸人』的事實；烏爾莉卡這輩子沒見過斑點鬣狗這種動物，但她猜想這種『狗』的耳朵和尾巴大概就長得一個樣吧？1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7a6U29pqbl
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0RDnWssbw
「嗯，怎麼了嗎？」鬣狗少年問。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLjJAKOGqa
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0edMUIRfT
「你是......」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc2Z3PKPc5
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjIuDPC4Dj
「我是艾塔奇(Aytaç)，您是不是睡昏頭了？」自稱為艾塔奇的鬣狗少年邊說邊露出靦腆的微笑，他道：「請稍等一下，我馬上就去燒水做午飯。」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuJiG7ILO4
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36vHuSJ5Mo
「......不對，莎薇呢？」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwm0BRcDKCM
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbkwW22IkT
「咦？」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iYrrHjM96
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLGA0FsBSg
「你把我女兒藏到哪去了！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCkcoEBcX1
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oATIZmOAq
「等、等一下，您是不是搞錯什麼了？」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFm47T3j8ul
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqecRcVvhn
這時烏爾莉卡衝上前，雙手掐住艾塔奇的衣領，以用壓倒性的氣勢將對方扯了過來。他手中的桶子隨之翻倒，水桶內的水也全撒了出來。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWiA94E48h
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxrsi5wNgk
「莎薇人呢？快點告訴我！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikmL4yibGi
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hnIiag4MY
烏爾莉卡並沒有對著少年大聲嘶吼或咆哮——不管是出於她天生穩重的個性所致，抑或是後天貴族教育的成果——但這名年輕的母親一字一句，咬牙切齒的清晰發聲充分表達出內心的怒意。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzLcbKmSDY
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoMDUohbrQ
與此同時，被烏爾莉卡抓住的少年憋紅了臉，他的雙腳些微離地，無處使力。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvUNr0ecnt
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z9ztL6Qq3
「咳喝......好痛苦，不能呼吸.....」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuqmQZd0Xb
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uwotBrf1h
「莎薇在哪裡！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCNM9nNi7T
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKw8Jj0WsGk
「她......莎薇就在後面跟......」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0rXUaSASK
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSc8xyqBQpT
「你對莎薇做了什麼？你是不是偷偷把她賣掉了！」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf7EdeknUJ
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQxBge42Yn
「沒有、絕對......我不會......」1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lbrZKPWbv
1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbF72pkjFQk
正當艾塔奇的臉色逐由紅轉白之際，一聲稚嫩的嗓音拯救了他。1572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77VvLU2Pzm
