四人在長餐桌就座，艾力克旁邊是瑪麗蘇，正對面是克莉絲，兩對眼睛都盯住他。瑪赫在最遠端，下巴趴在桌上，百無聊賴地玩頭髮。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBA1EabRNZ9
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29tq4Tuvgp
一道奇妙的低氣壓圍繞三人，說劍拔弩張又太誇張；說不揪不採又不符合。懂了，這就是所謂的『冷戰』吧。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8coeqJjsKy
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIk9UU1NVkk
動彈不得的艾力像一隻嚇傻了的角兔。側旁的瑪麗蘇右手托腮，含情脈脈的眨著電眼。對面的克莉絲十指緊扣放桌面，手臂築起了城牆。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlVwfH0rhU
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1KnO2E00h
艾力克連眼睛都不敢動，被瑪麗蘇灼熱的視線燙傷臉頰。為甚麼要盯著我？難道不怕暴露嗎？98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSwcOf3ujy
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycPiwRt9WY
利用眼角的餘光偷瞄側旁……！他立刻把視線收回！絕對不是含情脈脈！原來她的眼睛可以射出刀刃！？98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhfGvSDUBR
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtu3WMq5gR
看來她沒有打算收手，唯有把破冰的希望寄託於克莉絲。大女孩臉色難看，唇型像横倒的蛾眉月。焰髮倒豎，如同烈火燃燒，『怒髮衝冠』。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfZQozTeRr
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdfsWiLiv9
忽然，好像有甚麼東西斷掉了，艾力克内心釋然：98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcmDRQDOfC
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bhQmStA7B
「這兒就是我的葬身之地。」他小聲嘀咕，軟癱的身軀漸漸慘白退色。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wMLyxnPFB
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOfPwo07eA
接下來便沒有記憶，當意識接續回來時，他們正在用餐。連吃過甚麼都沒有印象，只是機械式地把淡而無味的食物送入口中。餐桌上籠罩著一片陰霾，在座唯有兩人理所當然地享用美食，就是瑪麗蘇和瑪赫。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYugHJlqzH
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjoZR6rZ2K
安娜優雅地擦乾嘴巴，放下餐巾，「艾力克，多年未見，別來無恙嘛？」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87DMtZKiev
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUYKpowHzl
看到橄欖枝，艾力克馬上抓住，「托你鴻福，親愛的安娜瑪莉雅女士。」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdtRUBHcD3
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuFCxxoaoH
嘴角上繞，安娜臉上有光，「還在讀書嗎？」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdYMf1vfnU
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKOhgyG3ir
「很久以前離開學院了。」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yc04uqhki
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0wclxBrDR
「我真糊塗，忘記你跟克莉絲是同級生，呵呵。」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFrEM7poep
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwt8L7uEbuR
艾力克報以輕笑。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOAtef9rXv
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2td1bp4i4
「現在做甚麼工作呢？收入穩定嗎？」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2V8p5EsLWJ
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSuX00kbvZ
「現在從事自由研究，雖然收入不好，但能夠做自己喜歡的工作，我已經十分滿足。」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqck9Uy3t1P
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMybLvWNU2
安娜向阿爾法使眼色，老人接話：98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeCvL7In15
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMilb7yI3P6
「不會把克莉絲交給你。」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcHZ9FG5vj
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27NGxs9Qbz
整張餐桌也抖了一下，瑪麗蘇假裝被果汁嗆到，實則是掩嘴偷笑，克莉絲五官皺成一團，瑪赫只顧著吃，安娜用手肘頂撞阿爾法。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBzb6sIUSE
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtUTKV0wJL
「請怪我多事，是怎樣的研究讓你要到訪黑靴鎮呢？」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ddL2zdYXx
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hRMGRrlDP
瑪麗蘇瞄了一眼，艾力克嚥了口水才說，「有點難以開口，希望女士明白事理。我是為了在黑市搜購禁書，用作研究用途。一些被千人議會列為禁術，連學院的藏書也沒有記載的禁忌法術。請原諒我求知若渴，才會流連於那種不法之地。」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ShIbId2gf
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4AwPJZ5Bj
「你無須在意，是說我們也沒有批判你的立足點。由你來保管這些禁忌智識，比落入別有用心之人更加安全。我們就互相保守秘密吧。」安娜轉向克莉絲，「你們是同級生，一定有不少共同回憶。」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxILJvfNAOS
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbToN8SCdIb
「也不是那麼值得回味。」克莉絲抬高頭，嘴巴斜到一邊。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuROTccpzOB
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHZ9X5R5zV
艾力克喝水濕潤乾燥的喉嚨，腦袋思索找話題，「聽說有事需要協助，我可以怎樣幫忙？」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYcaLi5KfS
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00AFJnpTGB
「那個已經沒事了，不用勞煩你。」克莉絲不以為然地撥空氣。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLXPsHa4qr
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5a7DBwQZv
氣流變得更重，壓得肩膀發痛。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhc90xdFem
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWw8DUlQiRc
瑪麗蘇舉杯將果汁一飲而盡，舔乾淨櫻桃小嘴，攙扶艾力克的胳膊站起來，「老師差不多要準備下一個行程，我們要走了。」
她望向阿爾法，意味深長的微笑，「多謝款待，很久沒嘗過家常菜。」98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8GQsLREaK
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMxDIXKtvQ
艾力克失魂落魄地離席，連禮貌的感謝也忘了說，被瑪麗蘇拉著走到玄關。克莉絲竟然動身跟了上來，默默地穿上大衣拿起雨傘。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBThQgsy3j
98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzguFYryte
面對艾力克訝異的目光，她說，「只是剛好有預定要出門，才不是要陪你。」
克莉絲戴上冷帽，焰髮縮短至齊耳。眼角閃過一點光，與二人一同出門。98Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswa8GZdgn7
