拜別朝夕相對的親友後,這曾經共處的狹小陋室裡,空洞寧靜彷如沉浸在淡淡寂意之中。438Please respect copyright.PENANAxLG9FP6G7N
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歇息間,妲羽步下觀星儀前的台階,無心漫步之中踏上牆邊梯間,止在閣樓上的床舖前。438Please respect copyright.PENANAPkj237eZcc
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「啊啊,怎麼有那麼多錢在這裡?還有這不就是埃美姐的魔匣嗎?」往床頭櫃一看,她這下才發現座檯燈下靜躺著一塊以鮮橙色框身點綴的黑色屏幕,連同一大疊鈔票以紙卷包起。438Please respect copyright.PENANAweaq15MSsT
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「妲羽,我把我的魔匣、還有我最近掙來的剩錢都留在這裡,任妳處置。不用擔心我,事成之後我會儘快回到妲羽身邊──埃美克戎。」438Please respect copyright.PENANALccevwaCvC
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細唸著紙卷上整齊的文字,便頓時勾起心中對她依依不捨之意。即使多番聽聞埃美克戎提及腦裡神祇的聲音,魔法帽下偏偏不能如埃美克戎那般,完全盡信如此一個連長相都摸不清的使者。438Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1WBk3eJDa
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想著想著,視線無意落到床上的掛鐘上。438Please respect copyright.PENANA0JiLqPOnjq
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「糟糕!完全忘記了要去天文學協會那邊交報告!」幼小兩腿連忙走下閣樓,疊好平放觀星儀旁邊的三塊薄板,再把橢圓星盤置於上方,便匆匆奔出門口。438Please respect copyright.PENANAvOapHesgaB
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慣性走到住宅區一隅的大簷篷底下,快手按下虛像地圖上方一個黃色圓點,等到眼前一抹藍色光輝散去現出透明玻璃幕牆後,焦燥的步伐遂再次起動,繞過中央圓形噴水池進入路旁其中一幢高樓之中。438Please respect copyright.PENANA6AKomHFxdK
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「抱歉!妲羽來遲了,這疊是最新的星象研究報告,麻煩轉交一下給會長大人,謝謝你!」438Please respect copyright.PENANAyHANfG1Oxk
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止步於天文學協會的接待處前,妲羽喘著氣卸下臂上三塊薄板推到桌上。然而,接待生眼神卻正示意妲羽望向後方沙發上把玩著手上小巧屏幕的身影。未及妲羽回頭一看,對方卻率先喊話道:438Please respect copyright.PENANAEUSukWoDPA
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「妲羽,我在這裡,報告直接交給我就好。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAHTz1EpxH4b
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「修伯特會長?!您在這裡等多久了?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAxT1TpmCpbx
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「沒事沒事,我也只是剛剛到埗。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAyHNceRE0Z6
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妲羽放下橢圓星盤,雙手捧起薄板疊親自交到沙發上西裝男子手上,默默看著對方撥弄薄板細閱半透明版面上相繼現出的密麻字句。字裡行間盛載妲羽終日埋頭於觀星儀前的成果,還有那對她來說是「理所當然」的知識,無一不讓這天文學會會長臉上泛起津津樂道之神情。438Please respect copyright.PENANASywcsUQUn9
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「對了妲羽,難得我今日有點閑暇,介意到我房間聊兩句嗎?」他高掛朗笑,投下這話便轉身步向接待處旁邊的趟門。對這突然的邀請感到不明所以的妲羽,亦只好跟著對方踏過門後忙碌的研究所,來到盡頭一所工作室內。438Please respect copyright.PENANAliu1N1a0Ot
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「妲羽,這個報告說的是針對北天球三一五四區域的大空洞成因假說,對吧?」待妲羽坐在辦公桌前的座椅上,他便翻弄著薄板屏幕裡記載的長篇大論,再道:「我倒是好奇,為什麼妳會認為是外力引致本來在空洞裡的星體消失呢?現在主流都提出暗物質濃霧說,難道我們偉大的天文學超新星妲羽找到這說法有什麼破綻嗎?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAzOt67x8FiY
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「唉……您過獎了,但空洞那個位置根本沒觀測到什麼暗物質,所以那個學說才沒法成立。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAGujCu6YLHC
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「妲羽……就算是全終界最先進的設備,也沒法直接觀測到所謂暗物質的存在,妳這樣說不怕被外面的叔叔輩指責嗎?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAheGcYxFgCq
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見對方皺著眉反問著,妲羽亦收起苦笑,淡然低頭緊盯橢圓星盤中點點星輝。438Please respect copyright.PENANA5tY0E58Tmq
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「妲羽只是覺得,既然連它的本質都搞不清楚就直接放進理論裡的話,不就只是隨便找個能滿足自己的答案嗎?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAHIln0rERrk
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至此,修伯特再想不到該如何反駁妲羽,一抹陰笑又再度掛在嘴邊,點著頭對妲羽說道:438Please respect copyright.PENANABnq0vo3cTl
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「哈哈!好吧,那等我詳細看完妳這疊理論之後再通知妳吧。應該來的及在年度大會裡披露的,不用擔心。」438Please respect copyright.PENANA9ehFb9CyMz
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「嗯,那……那妲羽先告辭了。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAxwZWkVF67K
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短暫而怪奇的見面就此劃上句號。對方那深藏不露的表情猶如要向她盤算陰謀那般,直叫妲羽避之則吉。慌張之下她一手緊抱橢圓星盤,一手按著頭上魔法帽子急步沿原路走出大樓。438Please respect copyright.PENANAxsUZHhyix5
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澄藍光輝散去後,從大簷篷步出之際,迎面卻見平時人煙稀少的住宅區大街上聚集了大堆駐足人群,視線不約而同指向同一天際之外。妲羽按著帽子走到人群之中,抬頭一看,赫然發現一道耀眼光柱正在高樓後更遠方的地平線上徑直升起,彷彿一座光橋連接天地。438Please respect copyright.PENANA5IraytXIEl
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「埃美姐?埃美姐是發生什麼事了嗎?」438Please respect copyright.PENANA1AXShrTfT5
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即便是光天化日下,蔽於陽光後的繁星仍沒法逃過妲羽一雙夜色雙目,成為用於指引方向的座標,好讓她一眼就辦出光柱所在之地正是離淨土以外不遠處。至此,腦內瞬即閃過曾朝夕相處的親友臨別之際那副著她放心、卻又帶點牽強的微笑,激盪她心中諸多憂慮神緒。438Please respect copyright.PENANAJCCtN5PloD
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再度變得焦燥的步伐繞過人群,奔往一側暗巷,回到巷裡不起眼的小屋裡。鑰匙「啪」一聲放到桌上,妲羽隨即坐在觀星儀前,純熟調整著觀星儀在屋頂的觀測器,把角度撥向地面,正對遠方光柱……這還是她首次把這座用於探知星際事件的精密儀器遠觀大地上遼闊的無人之境。438Please respect copyright.PENANAQYalzzeSgV
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調整好角度之後,從觀測器映進眼裡卻是光柱消失後荒蕪一片的亂象,無數黑漆如濃霧的物體逐漸散失殆盡,現出那熟悉的身影似是跌坐了在地上,伸手攙扶著槍柄,微顫身子就像在不斷喘息,盡露疲態。438Please respect copyright.PENANAIEzgo4BZNA
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「埃美姐……妳需要妲羽幫忙嗎?」438Please respect copyright.PENANAtBHBy2HBz4
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憂愁間她從口袋裡拿出她薄而通透的粉色魔匣,姆指徘徊於光亮觸屏上,把問候一字不漏打在對話框裡。438Please respect copyright.PENANATArIwtwCwq
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苦候良久,直至看到靜躺一角、被大疊聖砂鈔票裹起的橙色魔匣,才猛然意識到,從這小小屏幕上發送的字句,壓根就沒法送到淨土外埃美克戎手上。438Please respect copyright.PENANAUJWdYHNo0g
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「也是……魔匣的通訊範圍只限在淨土裡面,即使埃美姐拿著它出門,也不會收到妲羽的訊息呢。」438Please respect copyright.PENANAIurPXB4y5B
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妲羽握著橙色魔匣,連同大疊聖砂鈔票一同放進星盤底下的暗格裡,其後又抱緊這橢圓星盤、還有那始終未能放下的擔憂,再度踏出家門。她獨自踏上街道另一隅的巨大圓形法陣,待眼前現出地圖映像後,毫不猶豫按下右方商業區中央的黃色圓點,嘗試憑直覺追隨著昨日那看不見的足跡。