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一股突如其來的暖流入侵了沉沉的夢境。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgX5eDm5xWn
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCA7W5tGuEB
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYm1pbEBkp
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5CFKcDYEC
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6e4cmBszd
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSJFKNtOyU
「嗚嗯......好熱......！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiJcZ9lEmL
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSsG39C6bf
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIS6vR7ApD5
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02z7ljsJzM
幾乎是同一時間，她驚覺周遭的景色和物品全變了樣！1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3avBa0UL8k
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTHHzSC2HM
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVjBXCYddJ
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpL4tfYgTh
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLo68IJhagQ
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eQ5gk9uzo
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡku89Q6xUBP
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwh6XCjSwf6
天翻地覆的改變，讓烏爾莉卡的腦袋一時反應不過來。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SwHULPwQB
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pGkA6qAEt
「我是誰？我在哪？我在幹甚麼？」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCWhXWwYCC
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiltqqWYRF
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0f3wACprH
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8SCVpClyP
「我......這裡是......在哪裡？」她低聲呢喃著。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRY6EHILBX
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlvYsd3IWF
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ214fc9HQpl
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYYeNQdEPv
「嗚嗯，身子怎麼會酸成這樣！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuU8aPWo12i
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNEY0V138e
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROk0MqyvM7
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNP9zc2Kbbj
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ChHZSRikl
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BX7to9kNN
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ838iMwWn0C
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkxesC7EYp
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg10EL5tWjg
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUSNEmLpIW
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81yxe4vpik
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBQ8GHsTMl
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsa8VI8vBv
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsutlk3lR9T
「莎薇？莎薇怎麼不見了！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfzCenGXDN
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgYxSfCvfG
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPI2o0wehB
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8wQZdT8WU
「這孩子跑哪兒去了？莎薇！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMllmEWyUmH
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmp3WwAtsp
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntv3cE4drU
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRlPFNddsk
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRrO0dhbem
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjNOE0wlHr
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp1cC93VtJ
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKLvGLF17D
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIHnfyeHWx
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF96TjbQHdJ
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ULB3gyViI
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IiofUiET0
「莎薇？莎薇！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq65o0RGvi1
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqodltUMTt
她環顧四周，只差沒出聲高喊出女兒的名字。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVugwFPLxpH
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhvX5QDDDY
「啊，您已經睡醒了嗎？」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2tnrnShw2
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9uVdkbzhf
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4PR9Sbnbz
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWSW2xjpot
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyk0WisSqnP
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvyofN9c1S
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwAf7U7uKe
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfwkrOEnSD
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？1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQA7Zmc52L
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMu7bDKrgF3
「嗯，怎麼了嗎？」鬣狗少年問。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEClpHcghEO
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L8bEew8lu
「你是......」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjzfbBHHSX
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4v2Bpynff
「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。」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6CTI74Wxe
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWj2AeuKA93
「......不對，莎薇呢？」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbny9AYIBG
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsu2N24BsJ
「咦？」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsDpKxvKWI
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZepDvs3wR4
「你把我女兒藏到哪去了！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSirqKlQvZx
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxQw3y9Pcq
「等、等一下，您是不是搞錯什麼了？」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QO2ulNRi7
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmzxa3fdkO
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyPSafh1DY
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCjiZf8R5O
「莎薇人呢？快點告訴我！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvNlBEm2oW
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv33g45nLMe
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUu3C6aMdQ
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnuFzg3cdp
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKIOKpepuR
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VoXHYZcFH
「咳喝......好痛苦，不能呼吸.....」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJh5PCa4MG
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzd9qKwXzer
「莎薇在哪裡！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBV6TlOpwd
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyRPXM7HBu
「她......莎薇就在後面跟......」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9bhfgkTo1
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWUEDeq88w
「你對莎薇做了什麼？你是不是偷偷把她賣掉了！」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFThSs5QvBh
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsLnJm92VB
「沒有、絕對......我不會......」1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyITRcttsgj
1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ExY5EAtGj
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。1568Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMDwXSzCLo
