夏日祭堪稱羅蔓沃居國一年中最盛大的節慶,傳說中夏神喜愛熱鬧,於是在這一天,全國各地皆會用上整個白晝載歌載舞,在夕陽西下前還會有獻給夏神的戲劇表演,當天的晚餐當然也吃得特別豐盛。399Please respect copyright.PENANAtRSV9VogTD
399Please respect copyright.PENANAzWKlVxQ7qa
每年,國王都會挑選不同的城鎮做為主祭場,並派一名王室成員前往該地主持祭典。今次的主祭場是鹿角森林邊的白鹿鎮,主祭者則是二王子沃雷特。399Please respect copyright.PENANAFVoUFNhYxC
399Please respect copyright.PENANA9023kpWhj2
白鹿鎮的別宮背靠樹林,亨利站在庭院角落的圍牆邊,耳邊是夜鶯啼鳴,不遠處則是一排被矮樹花叢遮掩的宴會廳窗口,整棟建築在今夜燈火通明,宴會廳的門往兩側大大敞開,大部份的賓客皆已步入廳堂。399Please respect copyright.PENANAXOnIUhDvaL
399Please respect copyright.PENANA0FanXNjBWL
「亨利。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAI82AEWmKzh
399Please respect copyright.PENANAuN2rDfrW9w
熟悉的嗓音自身後傳來,涅澤爾不知何時來到了白鹿別宮的庭院內,亨利立刻轉身拉住他的手。399Please respect copyright.PENANAUMIhE9WHSJ
399Please respect copyright.PENANAjYZcPccBLH
「涅澤爾!我還以為你不來了呢──」399Please respect copyright.PENANA8VUs8hu5aA
399Please respect copyright.PENANAiC4oXhYgzR
「我什麼時候失約過?」399Please respect copyright.PENANAdyniCx8rWd
399Please respect copyright.PENANAwxthQF6ETS
「從來沒有。」亨利漾起微笑,搖了搖頭,「那我們進去吧?」399Please respect copyright.PENANAd7NKF2juOq
399Please respect copyright.PENANAUUaiMuwWHe
「不,我待在這附近,等你吃完再來院子裡找我。」399Please respect copyright.PENANARWk2Yi0cr7
399Please respect copyright.PENANATjyzDUTaD2
「咦……」399Please respect copyright.PENANALF04eYrTQn
399Please respect copyright.PENANAdFbxHB8u9Q
「你邀我應該不可能是想找我吃晚餐吧?」399Please respect copyright.PENANAnBBNU7yaC4
399Please respect copyright.PENANA30NKEqxyNu
涅澤爾揚起面對亨利時富含寵溺意味的笑容,巫師無需進食,小王子當然也曉得,但亨利還未回答,便有另一道嗓音插入他們之間。399Please respect copyright.PENANAUKWlZ4bLAz
399Please respect copyright.PENANA5hHPAAzMEo
「這不是魔法師大人嗎?方才我在招待其他賓客,沒注意到您大駕光臨,真是不好意思。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAASltIa0P28
399Please respect copyright.PENANAfe79XkV1gj
一名金髮青年朝兩人走來,亨利連忙應了聲「王兄」並低下頭,二王子沃雷特是國王的三位子嗣裡唯一由王后所生的孩子,長得與亨利一點都不像,舉手投足間散發的氣質也迥然不同。399Please respect copyright.PENANAupBsSg2Uud
399Please respect copyright.PENANANqniP2stLc
「亨利應該已經告訴過您了吧?他可是今晚的主角喔。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAOaxVhIwkuW
399Please respect copyright.PENANAhJyEip7sRO
原本對二王子殿下不屑一顧的涅澤爾因這句話挑起了眉,只見亨利用有點不好意思的表情低聲接話:399Please respect copyright.PENANAnPxyuFnjaR
399Please respect copyright.PENANAktsL5NC8YQ
「就是……每年的主祭者不是都要在晚宴上表演嗎?王兄說今年要讓我上台。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAbRIrd7ywCz
399Please respect copyright.PENANAkqWCTaKeJW
堂堂二王子殿下,還老是把自己的工作扔給別人啊──涅澤爾止住了未脫口的嘲諷,他瞪了沃雷特一眼,心底明白這傢伙打的是什麼算盤。399Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZEjt8BlGO
399Please respect copyright.PENANAjJ2ztZ1Qup
把晚宴的表演交給三王子,無疑是向外宣示三王子和二王子是同一陣線的。國王尚未訂立王諸,大公主與二王子已為了王位明爭暗鬥了數年,這些事情,縱然亨利從未說過,涅澤爾藉由麒麟感應生物情感的本能也能略知一二,而自從二王子發覺不起眼的弟弟竟與傳說中的巫師有來往後,顯然想藉由亨利跟涅澤爾拉近關係。399Please respect copyright.PENANA0E7eWLklOH
399Please respect copyright.PENANAaODFj3QHXv
涅澤爾當然知道以亨利的腦袋根本想不到這一層,也沒有和哥哥結盟的意思,即使對方的目的明顯得毫無遮掩,這孩子八成只為了自己竟能得到如此殊榮而受寵若驚吧。399Please respect copyright.PENANAS4T2PQ718c
399Please respect copyright.PENANAA4bNxaDq3c
巫師望著小心翼翼瞄向自己的三王子,「既然要表演的話,你得去準備吧?」在少年點頭後,巫師溫言道:「我在台下等你。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAbXYrz4G75P
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「嗯……!」399Please respect copyright.PENANAbQ58kqEUOV
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亨利展開笑顏,與情人和兄長告別後便先行進入別宮。399Please respect copyright.PENANA90gExMRUqU
399Please respect copyright.PENANAnHdJRNJPxP
涅澤爾無視沃雷特的問候,在原地佇足幾秒後便跟著走往宴會廳,即使覺得整座宮殿的人都煩得要命,他也不想破壞亨利的好心情。399Please respect copyright.PENANAVhOmZ0iGGN
399Please respect copyright.PENANArSM48DI0Qj
399Please respect copyright.PENANAu29D2n1tr1
宴會廳的四面牆壁都亮著燈,挑高的天花板固定著十數顆燈籠,每顆燈籠的材質皆與壁燈相同,白色魔焰在透明的燈罩內活力十足地躍動燃燒,面對大門最底端的那堵牆建有不怎麼高的木造平台,台下有條紅毯一路延伸至大門口,地毯兩邊擺著數張桌椅。399Please respect copyright.PENANAsZdeSYyb04
399Please respect copyright.PENANAId9AQTIDP7
依循沃雷特的安排,他本人與涅澤爾及亨利的座位在最靠近舞台的位置。399Please respect copyright.PENANAuVBr8hnT0U
399Please respect copyright.PENANArmwD8dBfeq
此時,二王子正在台上發表例行性的開場白,涅澤爾則坐在舞台左側的第三個座位。399Please respect copyright.PENANA2UjvIMR9JH
399Please respect copyright.PENANAsvVEiRvN3a
麒麟擁有能接收其他生物情感的本能,無論本人願不願意,他都能明白身邊的生命體目前是什麼心理狀態,就算自己不想知道也沒用。這場宴會不只有二王子的親信,還有大公主的人,整間屋裡的人表面上和樂融融、實則各懷鬼胎,對涅澤爾而言,光是待在這種環境下就足以造成精神疲勞。399Please respect copyright.PENANAppzPwGGlSH
399Please respect copyright.PENANAjNdsCq6UBV
人類是種麻煩的生物,與其他動物不同,僅有人類的心思不會因為巫師的存在變得平靜。399Please respect copyright.PENANAdUVHaXkUdO
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但是,亨利和這些人都不一樣。399Please respect copyright.PENANAnuMZNKDCoK
399Please respect copyright.PENANAkYGlfo1tLi
二王子前腳剛走,三王子便上台了。依涅澤爾所知,夏日祭晚宴一向是由其中一名王子或公主舞劍拉開序幕,接著才輪到儀隊上台表演。399Please respect copyright.PENANAm1FuJR4wVG
399Please respect copyright.PENANAYW7PnffnGD
就算對武器沒有研究,涅澤爾也「感覺」得出亨利手中的劍肯定是價值不凡的藝術品,不只劍柄前端鑲著一顆祖母綠、劍身刻滿一點都不實用的華美花紋,最重要的是,就他感知到的,這把劍若是再放個幾十年或許就能成為器靈了。399Please respect copyright.PENANAbvzSVZALsQ
399Please respect copyright.PENANAAu13s8JTQ6
「王弟的劍術實在是不錯,想必您也這麼認為吧。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAkZEBVEds4o
399Please respect copyright.PENANAqA0XZxMP6s
「觀賞開幕式時與他人交談是應有的禮儀嗎?殿下。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAf9O5QOGJO1
399Please respect copyright.PENANAY4ohHCnKiR
低聲與身旁人搭話的沃雷特聽了涅澤爾冷淡的回答,只得笑著搖頭。399Please respect copyright.PENANAAIeofsP8Qt
399Please respect copyright.PENANAu5Msog9yCd
或許是因為持劍產生的氣勢,三王子的身影看來不若平時瘦小,並且如二王子所言,這是什麼都不會的亨利難得擅長的活動。399Please respect copyright.PENANAKmwYT7R7T5
399Please respect copyright.PENANABSnSQUmBFZ
半晌,亨利退場來到涅澤爾身旁的空位,緊接著數名僕人替各桌上菜,室內隨著眾人吃喝閒聊的聲音熱鬧起來,賓客們一面進食一面欣賞接下來的儀隊表演。399Please respect copyright.PENANA7hAhkSStP3
399Please respect copyright.PENANAYYcvZETqkV
黑髮少年與褐髮青年相視而笑,涅澤爾感覺得出、亨利礙於長年對二哥的畏懼因而不敢多作交談,於是也沒主動開口,倒是沃雷特在上菜的同時、不停向另外兩人介紹菜色,涅澤爾不為所動,亨利則照單全收,哥哥說翠蘭鴿排配紅酒最好、他就絕對不會加海鹽。399Please respect copyright.PENANAKzIyueXGXu
399Please respect copyright.PENANASUKyXWTw3f
「這是從藍鵝鎮運來的萵苣,你們也知道,藍鵝鎮出產的菜最是有名,更別說這還是今天早上現摘的,保證鮮嫩脆甜。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAw8WEjBYJpl
399Please respect copyright.PENANAEVETUhcE1Y
「左邊這鍋是牛肉湯,中間的是雞湯,右邊是蔬菜湯,亨利,你先挑吧。」399Please respect copyright.PENANA5tC0MAw16B
399Please respect copyright.PENANANVNJzin1Gq
「要吃魚類的話,我推薦搭配帕西里尼醬,這醬汁的味道據說與傳說中的蛟龍膽汁所差無幾,是白鹿鎮鎮長花了三天熬製的,今早才特地送來白鹿別宮。」399Please respect copyright.PENANA90uqPuUFZy
399Please respect copyright.PENANAaJDLXUGUNH
「你們聞,這魔羯腿的味道是不是特別好?涅澤爾先生,你要不要來一點?我想你應該知道裹在這條腿上的香料是用什麼做的吧?」尊貴為二王子總不好在有他人的場合喊誰為大人,沃雷特顯然也不打算讓其他人曉得身邊的人是能呼風喚雨的巫師,只有私下會討好地喊涅澤爾魔法師大人。399Please respect copyright.PENANAF0WePYFyfO
399Please respect copyright.PENANAhRLCfPuBm0
「那、呃,王兄,對不起,」亨利略為尷尬地看向沃雷特,嗓音細弱蚊蠅,「涅澤爾不吃晚餐……」399Please respect copyright.PENANAL9DpyNjDAM
399Please respect copyright.PENANA7sTpHsIRcP
「香料是用北莳草磨成的?」還沒等二王子回應,涅澤爾便輕笑一聲,把大盤子裡的其中一條魔羯腿夾到亨利的盤中。399Please respect copyright.PENANA3SgQAVJxEq
399Please respect copyright.PENANArQvgb0nxwl
「是。」沃雷特瞟了弟弟一眼,又把黑瞳轉回巫師身上,「那是僅生長於黝鯨海岸的香草,先生果然見多識廣。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAfrBFGRCLxW
399Please respect copyright.PENANAlhVR8u0Zyt
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直到用餐時間結束,涅澤爾依舊半道菜都沒碰。399Please respect copyright.PENANAuCdLyxkDGg
399Please respect copyright.PENANATmeuUQiEj5
奴僕們端走空盤、同時撤掉大部份的桌位,只保留幾張放飲料或點心的長桌。儀隊退下後,樂隊到台上演奏,客人們隨著樂聲站起,拿著飯後甜點與他人寒暄起來。399Please respect copyright.PENANAQDlnmVnqIC
399Please respect copyright.PENANA39RxXhq02a
二王子離席去問候他三名妃子兩名男妃的親家,亨利剛因哥哥走掉鬆了口氣,涅澤爾便站起身來。399Please respect copyright.PENANATEdSrBRGkN
399Please respect copyright.PENANAXNPC7IJvBg
「啊、涅澤爾,等等我……」399Please respect copyright.PENANAL1tbpEjkmD
399Please respect copyright.PENANA4sMamG8OO1
巫師徑直走出宴會廳,小王子慌忙跟上,直到他們一前一後地步入庭院深處,涅澤爾才在杜鵑花叢邊停下腳步,踅身對黑髮少年笑道:399Please respect copyright.PENANAQugvxcGNwm
399Please respect copyright.PENANAZMMkkdewiJ
「晚餐好吃嗎?」399Please respect copyright.PENANA1uzSQfY3XN
399Please respect copyright.PENANAtnfh45qnTq
「嗯,很好吃。」亨利愣愣地點頭,走到應了「那就好」的涅澤爾身側,「對不起……?」399Please respect copyright.PENANA6XIxFT8uEg
399Please respect copyright.PENANAggdJGX9Zja
涅澤爾拉起亨利的手,沿著石磚路繼續走往庭園中遠離建築物的暗處,「為什麼跟我道歉?」399Please respect copyright.PENANArbup6h4U8J
399Please respect copyright.PENANASCCkF6249C
「你不開心吧。」399Please respect copyright.PENANA0FGMwxfkp3
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「嗯。」399Please respect copyright.PENANA61W69ydN1n
399Please respect copyright.PENANAH8nfWQXaoP
「我剛剛在王兄面前是不是也說錯話了?」399Please respect copyright.PENANABso1rOkMqX
399Please respect copyright.PENANAiWUZaMF0AS
「說錯話?」潛伏於草叢裡的動物追隨巫師的腳步移動,有幾隻蟋蟀跳到了地磚上,涅澤爾牽著亨利繞過牠們,同時想起三王子所指為何,「沒有哦,我那時候很高興呢。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAzTtG8GYxRP
399Please respect copyright.PENANALGLZMzVMBY
「真的嗎?」399Please respect copyright.PENANACWfgbEfkjG
399Please respect copyright.PENANAbZPPe1MVK4
「因為你在維護我嘛。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAnrBOfN8WCL
399Please respect copyright.PENANArTfBwBjipD
亨利與涅澤爾緩步至離宴會廳最遠的圍牆邊,此處已聽不見任何人聲。399Please respect copyright.PENANAWgOyhqzZf9
399Please respect copyright.PENANAhd0hn6LGaq
「嗯、我以為……對了,這個送你。」少年解下表演結束後一直掛在他腰上的劍,停下腳步露出靦腆的笑臉,「王兄說,這把劍我可以拿走,我想說這樣我就能送你禮物了。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAv6sFP9WjKN
399Please respect copyright.PENANAUL0FjoHqWR
一隻夜鶯躍上離他們最近的枝頭,不一會兒牠的同伴隨之來到,涅澤爾空著的左手沒有接過長劍,僅是帶著笑意問:「送我這個做什麼?給小白當玩具嗎?」399Please respect copyright.PENANAUPCrSuV2Xc
399Please respect copyright.PENANAGzPt9cAbcD
「因為涅澤爾平常對我很好,可是我都不能像王兄那樣不停送你禮物,所以,這個給你。這把劍很漂亮,我想當作禮物也很適合吧。」399Please respect copyright.PENANAa56Ozamlen
399Please respect copyright.PENANANMEYOVeYwS
涅澤爾眨了眨眼,隨後在亨利唇上落下一吻。399Please respect copyright.PENANAcmOPv1Jfbt
399Please respect copyright.PENANAmn2waFk15l
「禮物我收到了,」小王子怔愣地看著巫師燦爛的微笑,下一秒才會意過來這番話是什麼意思,「劍你自己留著吧。晚安。」399Please respect copyright.PENANApuCvO2NqsO
399Please respect copyright.PENANAOA9L0xwd4T
語畢,旋風以涅澤爾為圓心颳起,樹葉花瓣紛飛,幾秒後黑袍巫師就成為天空中的小點了。399Please respect copyright.PENANA05mdBEHEA9