自從接獲尋找王子的任務後,凱莉就再也沒躺過床了,如今身在王宮,她總算能擁抱柔軟的被單入眠,一覺醒來還有令人垂涎欲滴的美食能吃,日子實在愜意得教人想一輩子待下去,要是每天都能白吃白喝不幹活,那該有多好!397Please respect copyright.PENANAvz6jMJ5KKB
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而現在,要維持這樣的生活,再也不是不可能的夢想。397Please respect copyright.PENANAQM8eYlHfd8
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在休息了一天後,今早,她將要在人民聚集的黑麒城廣場接受表揚。洗漱更衣過的凱莉步出房門,立刻就有侍從領著她前往餐廳,在一般人眼裡,能與王族共進早餐是莫大的榮幸;但她十分明白,這只是最後的事前準備。397Please respect copyright.PENANAoDcf1LgBTf
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凱莉是第一個抵達餐廳的參加者,挑高的天花板鑲著拱形玻璃,冬日晨光落至金光閃閃的餐桌、閃亮得令人不得不瞇起眼。不久,王子霍金也來了,再來是偕同出席的國王王后,出場的順序顯然是依照身份地位遞增。397Please respect copyright.PENANAwHyhGEkwbR
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王室成員陸續就坐後,侍者也替她拉開椅子,同時又有其他侍從送上茶水,外貌完全看不出超過三十歲的國王抿了口茶,向少女展露溫和的笑容:397Please respect copyright.PENANABNdI4zN8OV
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「凱莉小姐,昨晚睡得好嗎?」397Please respect copyright.PENANA2btG1iEPJv
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「再好不過了,多謝陛下關心。」凱莉拿出自己最誠摯的口吻,低頭回應。397Please respect copyright.PENANAES6DR9Ml9y
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「那就好。」國王放下茶杯的同時,第一道餐點也被端上桌,緊盯桌面的凱莉努力不讓自己的注意力飄到食物上去。「謝謝妳所做的一切,讓我們一起享用愉快的早餐吧。」397Please respect copyright.PENANAabv69pFe4H
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語畢,國王招手讓侍從切菜,勇者也抬起頭來。397Please respect copyright.PENANAocNPwoRTLQ
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吃飽喝足後,餐具全被撤下,凱莉才在想這些掌權者難道真對她一點防備也沒有,就見侍從端了盤附湯匙的果凍放到自己面前,晶瑩剔透的果凍呈現美麗的酒紅色,在場僅有她「有幸」享用這道甜點,其他人面前空無一物。397Please respect copyright.PENANASVaKdQ9vF5
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果然啊,跟她猜得差不多。397Please respect copyright.PENANAg54clhJiLb
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「凱莉小姐,這是我們特地為妳準備的點心,待會兒我們拜託妳做的事情,需要足夠的膽識,而這盤果凍想必能賜與妳勇氣。」國王依舊掛著溫柔的微笑,凱莉暗忖著,若在不知情的人眼底看來,他可真是親民的王。「在頒獎之後,我們會再給妳一杯搭配果凍的果汁,到時也希望妳能用餐愉快。妳有任何問題嗎?」397Please respect copyright.PENANAFDlttcXWke
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「謝陛下,我沒有疑問。」好在她是個本行不是勇者的勇者,否則讓那些直來直往的真勇者來聽,肯定判斷不出現在是什麼情況。凱莉恭敬地答道:「有了這盤果凍帶來的勇氣,我定能完成任務。」397Please respect copyright.PENANAkiwSUgXZ03
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她吃了一口。397Please respect copyright.PENANAPcTdjo6VHt
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果凍是毒,果汁是解藥,為的是確保她接下來在群眾面前說的話都在他們掌握之中。397Please respect copyright.PENANAte8ybkVMkr
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倘若事成,她能收到解藥以及大把賞金;倘若失敗,迎接她的就是死神。397Please respect copyright.PENANAx0iN0wWAw9
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凱莉怕死,也怕國王事後翻臉不認帳,但身為一介平民,她此時若敢拒吃,接下來等著她的肯定就是比果凍更糟糕的東西。她進餐廳前觀察過,這周圍守衛遍佈,她根本逃不出去。397Please respect copyright.PENANAZUGBtVNPw4
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她想起曾經共事過的勇者大叔們,不禁又在心底感嘆,好在她是個沒什麼道德心的勇者,否則這種事情,真正的勇者怎麼可能答應。397Please respect copyright.PENANAZq2WjyefHD
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離開餐廳後,一行人來到黑麒廣場的高台上,這座僅兩層樓高的木造塔樓以金絲綢緞裝飾,從最高處往下望,能看見人群在下頭擠得水洩不通,早上時就有王宮的人以勇者的名義發放無限量的免費麵包聚集民眾,頒獎時刻將至,一群人邊吃麵包邊看戲。397Please respect copyright.PENANAXRidhFd4w7
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一陣悠長的喇叭聲響起,緊接著是高台後的樂隊奏樂,廣場前的群眾全體肅靜,待國歌演奏完畢,國王便登上高台,俯瞰他的人民。397Please respect copyright.PENANASSEuSfNJlm
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「陛下萬安!」397Please respect copyright.PENANAbhFA4DTWTr
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負責主持的司儀高聲大喊,民眾們紛紛應和,在一陣此起彼落的「陛下萬安」之後,國王做了個手勢示意眾人安靜,安插在群眾裡的守衛隊成員管起秩序,不一會兒,廣場便鴉雀無聲。397Please respect copyright.PENANAIyh74noryR
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「我親愛的子民,有沒有誰知道,你們手上的麵包是誰給的?」397Please respect copyright.PENANASTDUXJrVE6
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「是勇者大人!」王宮安排的暗樁在人群裡大叫,陸續有人附和:「勇者大人!勇者大人!」397Please respect copyright.PENANA9DgNKHVKOO
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國王將手舉起,人民又安靜下來,他微笑道:「沒錯,如此樂善好施的,正是銀魚城的勇者凱莉。」397Please respect copyright.PENANApoAHDHalG5
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又一陣喇叭聲,少女勇者在樂隊慶賀的曲聲中登台,單膝跪在國王跟前,人群中的暗樁歡呼起來,幾名好事的群眾隨之鼓譟,廣場頓時熱鬧萬分,即使還不確定國王今天要頒什麼獎,在人民的喧嘩下,凱莉是英雄的氣氛已經被渲染出來了。397Please respect copyright.PENANAN8Ws3k6Lsx
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「不只你們要感謝她贈予的糧食,我也要謝謝她,救回了我的兒子。」國王扶起勇者,聲音大得足以讓靠近塔樓的人民聽得一清二楚,「我相信你們都聽過巫師的事蹟,在不久前,有一名邪惡的巫師綁架了我的獨子,也就是你們唯一的王子霍金。勇者將霍金從巫師手中救出──」397Please respect copyright.PENANAOcoJ9DWMFO
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「陛下,請恕我無法接受您的感謝!」少女大聲打斷了國王的話,這在歷年的頒獎典禮和公開演講中,可是從未發生過的事,「您該謝的人正是那名巫師。」397Please respect copyright.PENANAHxkWjiZoMG
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「此言何意?」397Please respect copyright.PENANAm0jGXaNmDB
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突發狀況令群眾你一言我一語的交頭接耳,但凱莉的大嗓門壓過了他們:「王子殿下並非被巫師綁架,而是被龍擄走!」人群裡傳出「龍不就是巫師養的嗎?」之類的質疑,但凱莉堅定地繼續說下去:「那頭龍並非巫師飼養的龍,而是幾年前,屠龍者殺害的幼龍之母。」397Please respect copyright.PENANAITLwPfBrie
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「啊!是說屠龍者海恩嗎?」397Please respect copyright.PENANAVAjFqMZiTq
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「那個只不過殺了幼龍就自稱屠龍者的假勇者?」397Please respect copyright.PENANADnxPbrysb5
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「可是那是龍啊,小時候不殺,長大也會害人的吧。」397Please respect copyright.PENANAEk3v59lwJx
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群眾議論紛紛,凱莉等了一會兒,才再次開口:397Please respect copyright.PENANAPsXkoNm4hr
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「母龍在無辜的幼龍被人類無端殺害後,一直想要復仇,才擄走王子殿下。而巫師的龍得知此事,協助巫師說服母龍,費了一番功夫後,好不容易將王子殿下帶到巫師塔安置,巫師不只救了王子殿下,還讓王子殿下與他受傷的獵犬在塔裡療傷,直至痊癒才將王子殿下帶回。397Please respect copyright.PENANAGca6avH7ii
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「我前往巫師塔營救王子殿下時,他們也正要啟程歸來,在了解事情經過後,我便明白一切全是誤會。」397Please respect copyright.PENANAaw4OEkoDA7
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