翌日早晨，大葆士帶上行囊準備前往隆琴基地時，突然收到殿長的緊急通知！208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRXPD1Jy0o
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大葆士匆忙來到位於主殿的殿長辦公室。默儲殿長穿著簡易軍裝等著他。看樣子也是臨時收到消息，急忙換裝來到辦公室等候。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3qCyide9h
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「默儲殿長好！」大葆士行禮，默儲殿長回禮的同時禁不住地打了個呵欠，大葆士見狀瞇眼。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡES8oHwbiTS
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「殿長，發生什麼事了？」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyWtusus2c
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「嗯……我還想讓你告訴我。」默儲殿長坐到沙發上。他微抬下巴示意大葆士坐到對面。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBOdc4t6uT
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大葆士照做，默儲殿長全程盯著他不說話。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgQAGCNsW0
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208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAN1v9b922
「殿長，我不清楚該告訴您什麼。」大葆士皺眉，默儲殿長用食指撐起左臉的太陽穴。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbEQsiLMnJ
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「這麼說吧，你昨天跟米洛與王室成員們私下聚會，這其實是要事先知會我的。」默儲殿長調整機械右眼焦距，好讓他更能看清楚大葆士。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkU5EHfb85
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208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoWAe0hXNX
「抱歉殿長，我不曉得必須跟您知會！」大葆士抿嘴：「昨晚我完全不知道王室會一同前來。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2d75iyQTq
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「哼，潔珥也有去吧？米洛藉故帶你去放鬆，實際上是要私會亞莎侯爵之女。」默儲殿長不以為然：「他們的關係遲早會公開，屆時機擬員的防守區域會迎來大變動。你應該懂我的意思。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhkIPJUVsW
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「米洛是盡責且強大的機擬員，我相信他不管到哪都會做好他的工作。」大葆士道。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdz4DgVrwN
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「是啊。」默儲殿長露出意味深長的微笑：「大葆士，你有成家的打算嗎？」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCk5TCsF5x
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「……沒有這個打算。」大葆士看著默儲殿長：「我應該要有嗎？」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHDqxqAEoH
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzBggTXxZ6
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「以一位慈祥老爺爺的看法，我希望你兒孫滿堂。」默儲殿長眨動機械假眼，發出「喀嚓」聲：「然而，若是以一位鐵血上司的立場，我希望你永遠都不要成家。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsGqnGD1ti
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「我會以您衷情的角色做出選擇。」大葆士道，默儲殿長嘴角勾起。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72pdJjh6la
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「你跟巴特夫很像。你倆是我唯二會相信，做出的判斷或決定必定是對人類有益的。」默儲殿長拿起茶壺倒茶：「所以我相信你能處理接下來的情況。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3JuuaOyjG
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「什麼情況？」大葆士接過殿長倒給他的紅茶。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFq1hq7oMYY
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20neN1ubhG
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「威卡漢大王子讓你待會到柏金漢宮一趟，他有事情必須當面跟你說。」殿長凝視大葆士，後者停頓兩秒後，舉杯輕啜紅茶。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzx0nhGpcs
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「大王子殿下有說原因嗎？」大葆士放下茶杯，默儲殿長瞇眼。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCugshdsKiv
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「他希望你自己去聽原因。」默儲殿長雙手交疊放在膝蓋上：「我聽說昨晚你跟希文發生了一些事，很有可能這就是原因。」 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27b0lwaXvJ
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「我以為已經解決了。」大葆士蹙眉：「並不是什麼大事。如果是希望我給一句回覆，那麼便是『好的，我原諒她，但是不會發展下去。』」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlSOtQOx1A
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「你是要我直接拿你這句話，當作給大王子的交代？」默儲殿長笑了：「我可不是你的傳話筒，大葆士。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhTcJNtglM
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUU8AEhlSM
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「我認為現在有比去皇宮更加優先的事。」大葆士嚴肅地看著默儲殿長：「文蔻上尉已經在『隆琴基地』待了兩個月。為了讓她更快熟悉其他基地的情況，我現在就要啟程前往交接。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Y3iJovpwR
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「是什麼讓你認為大王子的命令不該優先？」默儲殿長聞言沉下臉：「儘管王室是布列斯托的名義領導人，但她們代表著布列斯托，是僅次『歡鴿』的象徵。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBuRTiNDrC
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1JKzCWWNf
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「蟲洞出現不過百年，你就要否定王室千年以來的存在？布列斯托若想挺過這場異獸浩劫，永存世上，不能只仰賴軍隊奮戰，而是必須結合布列斯托一切具有意義的力量，戰鬥到底！」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsn7KKibbEw
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6h80cZSHz
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大葆士沉默不語，默儲殿長喝了口茶。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5O3uBHvdE
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「只要是跟王室有關的任何事，都必須謹慎應對。」默儲殿長放下茶杯：「你要處理好。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWQijF1a48
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhkVlwHPhu
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「我明白了。」大葆士站起身，向默儲殿長行禮：「我會盡快解決這件事，繼續執行任務。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMgNazNADt
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYDvhFfC8N
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「『隆琴基地』讓洋煦交接，你接下來到『雷鳴航母』協助伍斯樂進行升級兩星期，去吧。」默儲殿長道，大葆士領命後離開。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlq40VZSNT8
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（柏金漢宮──主殿）208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhG9v7EQy9e
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大葆士在主殿迴廊上等了一段時間。眼見大門緊閉，前往通知的門衛遲遲不見人影，大葆士一度有掉頭離開的打算。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuMQKu4JLb
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正當他準備轉動腳踝離開時，大門開了。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypVlUWrdoW
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「請進，攻無不克的荊心騎士大人！」站在門邊的門衛大聲宣唱大葆士的名號和來到。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvUK5qIdw4
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大葆士踏入大殿。身著一襲剪裁合身的高雅西裝，體態強健結實的威卡漢大王子就站在台上的王椅旁，一路看著大葆士在階前單膝下跪。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkbPuHJ3vq
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「起來吧。」威卡漢露出淺笑，大葆士站起身。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4aAEAwngf
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「我已經請人備好早餐了，我們到側殿那邊吧。」大王子道：「抱歉讓你等了一下，畢竟你跟照片的樣子完全不一樣，警衛那邊花了不少時間確認。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFWC3rfIMb
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「沒關係的，殿下。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB73iNmDAqP
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大葆士同威卡漢大王子來到王室用餐的側殿。只見長桌上擺滿豐盛佳餚，甚至有一大籃的精緻漢堡！208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmKzJyjHWW
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大葆士盯著用料高級的御廚漢堡，視線無法離開。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLBpBcSxf0
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「我聽說你非常喜歡吃漢堡，所以請廚師特製一些。」大王子笑道：「儘管吃吧，好吃的話我再請廚師做給你。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tfvWLxXVN
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「謝謝殿下，這些漢堡非常漂亮！」大葆士捨不得挪開視線，威卡漢大王子見狀微笑。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tfmkluOYi
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「是這樣的，少校。自從騎士受封大典過後，小女艾雀時不時對我提起你，她認為你是一位很獨特出眾的男士。」威卡漢大王子收起笑容。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5rDcQig4v
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「非常謝謝艾雀殿下的讚美。」大葆士夾了五個漢堡到盤中。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHSeAR1W0V
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「同時間，溫莎大公也面臨跟我一樣的情況；他的寶貝愛女希文也不停向他詢問關於你的事。」威卡漢大王子看著大葆士，後者停了一下，然後又若無其事的夾漢堡。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdpkGCyBid
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「依舊非常謝謝兩位公主的讚美。」大葆士道：「軍中還有很多比我更加傑出優秀的前輩，公主若有機會認識，相信能交到更多更棒的朋友。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaf34DRclX
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「少校你太謙虛了，機擬員不是誰都可以認識的。」威卡漢大王子道：「還是說，少校認為艾雀並非是適合結交的對象？」他話鋒一轉問道，大葆士挑眉。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeEdt3eAex
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「艾雀殿下聰明和善，是全體國民公認的文雅公主。殿下顯然多慮了。」大葆士笑道，威卡漢吃起刀叉上的肉塊。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbfgKyw5hA
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「艾雀雖然是我最小的孩子，但是她很有主見，很多事都可以自己打點好，我完全不擔心她往後的人生規劃。」吞下肉塊後，威卡漢道：「她曾交過三名男友，也因此出版三本書。我很怕她會出版一整櫃的書，幸好沒有。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgiMv7bi16
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「那三名男孩都是她年紀尚輕，對感情還沒有一定認知時結交的。而艾雀也在這三段戀情中汲取經驗成長。」威卡漢正色道：「現在她已經成年了，感情對她來說不再是兒戲，而是終身大事。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fuFEuTGMS
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「……」大葆士放下刀叉，抬頭看著大王子。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIkqU40NkH
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「我稍微看了你的資料，你父親是防護員，官拜上尉，逝世後由祖父母扶養長大。」大王子道：「祖父是蘭基宅邸聘雇的園丁，祖母則是聘僱廚師。你們一家跟蘭基家族雖是主僕關係，但你跟麥考夫 ‧ 蘭基的獨子巴特夫非常要好，會以兄弟相稱。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8g42Cgovu5
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「是的。」大葆士點頭。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqIEiS3eXE
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「然而你在 11 歲時先後失去祖父母。由於生母在你 2 歲時簽訂放棄扶養權，所以你之後被安排到我國的『失親孩童收留中心』，在那裡生活。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlML54TLrKO
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大葆士點頭不語。 208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5QNTOEYMB
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208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hY7VYBjTr
「你沒有接受正規教育，跟巴特夫一樣在家自學。團體化訓練和與同儕建立關係都從巴特夫身上學習。」大王子道：「但是因為你非常聰明，所以不管學什麼都上手，也能融會貫通並加以延伸應用。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhAui4gqoo
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuCFLA8O8w
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYYZCwvogW
「這都要感謝蘭基家的照顧，蘭基夫人視我如同兒子，提供很多資源讓我學習。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEj1VC6UxLF
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXC8Bz3uz1
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CeYHet8R0
「是的，你們都是年輕有為的傑出軍官，是布列斯托引以為傲的牆壁。」大王子認同：「不過有件事讓我好奇，你十歲那年跟祖父離開蘭星莊園獨自在外居住。據我所知，你們似乎是搬到歡鴿城人口較為複雜的地帶。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA5tBdUTaY
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehz2USajx8
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPSL8t0pdJ
「可以請問你那段時間是過著什麼樣的生活？」威卡漢大王子盯著大葆士，眼睛眨也不眨。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1bx8z6cis
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7CQS0PZJN
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlueVc7qKNK
「……祖父因為沒有辦法走出失去祖母的陰霾，所以整日酗酒。」大葆士同樣一動也不動地看著大王子：「我無法再從祖父那裡獲得親情，在他眼裡我只是一副沒有意義的肉塊。我們雖然住在同一屋簷下，但生活完全沒有交集。」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNIC89athH4
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOP5HVuahU
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOImGpC08g
「這其中必定有什麼誤會，才導致你們的關係變質吧？」威卡漢大王子皺眉：「你願意跟我說明嗎？」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8JQIPPJyy
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNyFLgbKAM
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qzd35JI14
「沒有誤會，確實是因為我犯錯才導致關係惡化。」大葆士輕搖頭，表情柔和起來：「能請問殿下為何問起我的背景？」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZWxXwcLaF
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsai9v6BMM
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNqTed08vQ
「身為一位愛私下替女兒操心的管事父親，我想知道艾雀心儀對象的任何事情。」威卡漢大王子眼角勾起。208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIFY2mMllO
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFDI683qUw
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡni1eifQbG0
「溫頓少校，你對小女艾雀有什麼想法？」208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeY02kDWKs
208Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl1F7xXP3H
