새벽녘의 사수 슌란/16권

제16회 가치를 그 손에

또 하나의 저주스러운 악연이 지금 여기서 끊어졌다.

한 발의 탄환은 불덩이로 모습을 바꾸어, 폐쇄된 환경에서 사악한 존재를 집어삼키며 불태운다. 멈추지 않고 부푸는 폭염과 충격파는 동굴을 뒤흔들며 약한 암석층을 무너뜨린다.

「아야！ ……어, 뭐, 뭐야 이게！？」

등을 지면에 부딪히지만, 아픔보다는 놀라움이 더 앞서는 다우. 다음 순간, 그는 더욱 놀라운 광경을 목격했다. 폭발의 영향으로 서서히 붕괴할 거라 생각했던 동굴이 갑자기 안팎의 암석을, 도저히 자연스럽다고는 여겨지지 않을 기세로 변형시키기 시작했다. 순식간에 중량 균형을 잃은 동굴은 지형 그대로 와르르 무너져 내린다.

「이봐, 대체 이게 어떻게 된 거야？」

「이게 《귀신》의 최후다. 전방위에서 덮쳐오는 폭굉은 암벽으로도 막을 수가 없어. 마지막엔 닥치는 대로 암석에 간섭했던 거겠지」

「그게 오히려 자신이 바위에 묻히는 꼴이 되었고？ 대충 알 것 같긴 한데…… 결국, 아까 폭발은 뭐였어？ 그게 《진천의 뇌검》의 힘이야？」

「……그걸 가장 잘 아는 선생님이 네 가족이잖아？」

두 사람 곁엔 어느새 사유가 앉아 있다. 딱히 놀란 기색은 없는 그녀지만, 그것 외엔 슌란이나 다우의 상태와 별반 다르지 않아 보였다.

「수소 폭발…… 간단한 원리야. 《진천의 뇌검》의 진짜 힘은 물분자를 모아 분해하는 것. 그걸 동굴에 모은 후에 착화하면 아까처럼 되는 거지」

「사유, 너 다행히 무사했구나！ 다친 덴 없어！？ 잘은 모르겠지만, 너만 무사하면 그걸로 됐어！」

「……이런 얘기만 나오면 한 귀로 듣고 흘린다니까. 그것보다 다우 오빠는 괜찮아？ 《심》을 쓰면……」

「아…… 아야！ 젠장, 방심했더니 또 이러네！」

다우는 옆구리를 내려다보더니 그제야 생각났다는 듯이 고통에 몸부림친다. 그 주위의 눈은 이미 붉게 물들었다.

「다우！」

「제길, 역시 상처가…… 아야야…… 한심하게스리……」

「……괜찮아, 다행히 크게 벌어지진…… 그래도 움직이진 마. 응급처치할 테니까 누워」

「그래, 미안하지만 부탁할게……」

마대에서 붕대와 약초를 꺼내는 사유. 슌란도 뭐든 도우려고 일어서려 하지만 이내 다리에 힘이 빠지고, 자신도 누운 채 쓰러져 있었다는 걸 시간이 조금 지난 후에야 안다.

「슌란！」

「괜찮아…… 계속 싸우느라 피로와 통증이 심해서…… 다우처럼 심각하진 않아……」

사유는 슌란의 움직임과 출혈을 보고 그 말이 거짓이 아니라고 판단했을까, 슌란을 걱정하는 시선을 유지하면서도 다우를 치료하는 손은 늦추진 않는다.

「그래도…… 조금 쉴게. 정신 차릴 약도 없고…… 다행히 여기라면 자도…… 죽진 않을…… 것――」

슌란은 시야가 흐려지는 와중에 태양을 등지고 들여다보는 사유 뒤에서 두 사람의 반가운 기척을 느꼈다. 등 뒤에 느껴지는 차가운 눈과는 달리 따뜻한 잠이 쏟아진다.


「결국 그 녀석은 뭐였을까」

「모르겠어…… 그래도 마지막엔 왠지 좀 딱했어. 뭔가에 조종당하다가 돌이킬 수 없게 된 것 같달까……」

「……네 생각도 그렇구나. 뭐, 우리랑은 상관없잖아. 우린 부조리한 폭력으로부터 몸을 지켰을 뿐이야」

몇 시간 후, 깨어난 슌란과 사유는 나무 그늘에 걸터앉아 차츰 개는 하늘을 보았다. 지금은 서로 마주보기보다는 같은 하늘을 보는 편이 더 마음이 통할 것만 같은 기분이었다. 다우는 근처 짚더미 위에 누워 있는데, 사유의 말로는 몸 상태가 안정적이라고 한다.

두 사람이 내려다보니 무너진 동굴이 있다. 《귀신》이 부활할 기척도 없었고, 시라카사산은 고요함을 되찾았다.

「사유…… 네가 왜 거침없이 나아갈 수 있는지. 이제야 알 것 같아」

「그렇구나…… 너한테 좀 도움이 됐어？」

「그래, 됐고말고」

슌란은 짧은 꿈속에서 아버지와 재회했었다. 말은 많이 나누지 않았고, 복잡한 감정의 발로도 없었다. 잘했다, 지금부턴 너 스스로 찾거라. 아버지는 이 말만 남기고 슌란의 머리를 쓰다듬었다. 꿈의 내용은 그게 다였다.

그래도 슌란이, 과거에 아버지가 했던 말에 자신이 속박당했던 이유를, 그리고 지금의 자신에게 뭐가 있는지 돌아보기엔 충분했다.

「난 내가 하는 일이 “가치” 가 있길 늘 바랐었어. 《마타기》로서 생명과 마주하는 행위에 걸맞은……」

그리고 그걸 상실했던 공허한 기간엔, 직접 가치를 찾으려는 의지와 거기 무슨 의미가 있는지 알려는 용기가 없었다.

「그런데…… 너희와 손을 맞잡고, 너희의 사명을…… 길을 지키는 데 몸을 바쳤던 지금은 알아. 내가 원했던 건 나중에 떳떳이 의미가 있었다고 말할 수 있는 가치야. 지금은 말할 수 있어, 내가 《마타기》인 의미가 있다고」

그리고 자신의 길을 똑바로 응시하는 소녀. 자신이 걸어온 길은 그 소녀 덕분에 결실을 보았다.

「……후후. 그럼 우리랑은 “반대”일지도」

사유는 슌란에게, 자신이 아는 가장 환하고 맑은 미소로 답한다. 하늘에서 시선을 뗀 슌란은, 이런 미소를 이렇게 고요하게 지을 수도 있구나 하고 생각하며, 조용히 생각에 잠긴 사유를 바라보다 깨달았다. 그녀의 눈동자에 반사된 슌란 자신도, 평소답지 않게 사유의 미소 이상으로 깨끗하고 맑은 표정을 짓고 있다는 것을.

그러나 부끄러워진 슌란은 이내 얼굴을 숙였다.

「반대라니……？」

「나는…… 굳이 말하자면, 의미가 앞에 있어. 모든 행동 하나하나가 무의미하지 않다고 확신하거든…… 그러다 보면 우리만의 가치를 만들 수 있다고 믿어」

「아하, 그래서 반대인 거구나」

사유는 그 행위가 분명한 의미를 갖는다고 확신하기 때문에 미래에서 새로운 가치를 찾는다. 그것은 과거로 거슬러올라가 자신의 길에 확고한 토대를 찾으려 했던 슌란과는 닮은 듯 정반대였다.

「결과론에 지나지 않는 나는, 아직 멀었구나……」

「……그렇지는 않아」

사유는 《진천의 뇌검》으로 슌란을 가리킨다.

「이번 승리도 우리만으론 불가능했어…… 오히려 나는, 뻔하디뻔한 의미의 너머에 있는 가치보단 지금 눈앞에 있는 의미를 추구한 슌란 덕분이라 생각해」

둘은 서로의 행동을 통해 키워 온 기술을 사용해, 상대의 약점을 보완하며 벽을 뛰어넘었다. 그것은 결코 쉬운 일은 아니다.

「우린 목표로 하는 것도, 살아가는 의미도 서로 보완해 줄 수 있는 관계였어. 그래서 함께 싸웠지. 그리고 나는 하나의 가치를 얻었고, 넌 의미를 얻었어」

그리고 서로 바라보고 함께 걸으며 인연의 끈을 당겼다.

「그래서…… 넌 하나의 해답에 이르게 된 거 아닐까？」

「하나의 해답……」

이 해답은 여러 해답 중 하나에 지나지 않는다. 그럼에도 슌란이 자신이 살아갈 길의 가치를 추구하는 지침으로는 충분하지 않을까？

「나도…… 계속 나아갈 수 있을까…… 너처럼」

「할 수 있어. 나한테 지금의 길을 가르쳐준 《마타기》와 그때의 나…… 슌란은 양쪽 모두와 닮았거든」

과거에 사유를 이끌었던 방랑 《마타기》. 그가 어떤 인물인지, 왜 여행을 하고 있었는지는 모른다. 그러나 그가 사유에게 무엇을 알려줬고, 그게 사유 안에서 무엇으로 바뀌었는지. 닮았단 말을 듣고 슌란은 어렴풋이 알 것만 같았다.

「그 사람은 여행에서 뭘 발견했고, 또 어디로 갔을까……」

새삼 생각하니, 슌란은 하나의 여행을 끝냈을 때의 그것과 비슷한 감정 안에 있었다. 고작 이틀 동안에 얻은 동료, 극복한 벽, 끊어낸 속박. 슌란이 걸어온 궤적은 그 어떤 것보다 농밀하고, 새로웠다.

이것이 의미를 찾는 과정, 가치를 찾는 과정이라면――

「이것도 그저 도박일진 모르지만…… 더 큰 길을 걸어 보는 것도 괜찮은 생각 같아. 너희처럼 말이지……」

슌란은 하나의 길을 정했다.

정해진 여정이 없는 길, 정해지지 않았기에 의미 있는 길.

계속

Chapter 16: Clinging to What is Precious
Another cursed fate had been severed. After the flames erupted and the explosion continued unceasingly, the brittle rocks of the cave collapsed, forever sealing the demon within.
'Yeow!' Dau reacted with surprise coupled with pain as his back was slammed against the snowy ground. Looking up at the cave, he was met with even greater surprise. He knew their plan would be enough to bring down the inside of the cave, but its outer shell was crumbled as well, carving a new base into the landscape. With balance lost, the loose, unnaturally broken stones started sliding away, taking much of the slope with it. 'Was it... Was it meant to do all THAT?'
'This full-on cave-on must have been the Oni,' Chunlan replied. 'He couldn't block the explosion from every direction with his powers, but he probably messed with as many of the rocks inside as he could before his death.'
'So his habit of pulling out rocks from his surroundings to make shields just made things worse for him this time. Makes sense, but no way did he cause that huge an explosion. Was that the Blade of the Thundering Skies?'
'I don't know, but I'm sure she could tell you.'
At some point they had been rejoined by Sayu, who stood by to observe what just transpired. Unlike her companions, there was no hint of surprise on her face. 'That was a hydrogen explosion. The logic is simple—the true purpose behind the artifact is to collect and deconstruct water molecules, so I just gathered them up in a cave and had Chunlan ignite it.'
'Sayu!' Dau cried with joy. 'You're all right! Are you hurt at all? I have no idea what you just said, but as long as you're okay, I'm okay!'
'In one ear and out the other... What about you, Dau? Are YOU okay? Even after using Shin again?'
Dau reacted with a grimace as though the question reminded him he was indeed severely injured. All around him, the snow was dyed a deep red.
Dau!'
'Damn... Guess the wound opened up,' he grunted. 'Can't believe I screwed up this bad.'
'It's okay, I think. The wound's only opened up a little bit—but that doesn't mean you're good to move around just yet. Lay back for me.'
'Yeah. Sorry...but thanks.' Sayu procured some herbs and bandages from her pouch. Chunlan wanted to help, but as he tried to sit up, he was overcome with a wave of exhaustion and numbness in his legs and fell right back down.
'Not you, too, Chunlan...'
'I'm fine,' he reassured Sayu. 'I think all the adrenaline from fighting is just finally catching up to me I'm nowhere near as bad off as Dau.'
After inspecting Chunlan's wounds, Sayu seemed to believe he was telling the truth, and she quickly returned to patching up Dau. Still, her worries were getting the better of her, and she would glance in his direction now and again between her work.
'I really am fine... Just let me rest for a bit,' he said, voice weak with an overwhelming drowsiness. 'If you don't have any medicine to perk me up...then I'll just sleep for a bit. It's not like I'll...die or...'
Chunlan trailed off. As his vision dimmed, he could have sworn he could see two people he recognized behind Sayu as the sunlight peeked from over her shoulder. The snow beneath him, cold as it was meant to be, felt more akin to a warm bed as he drifted off to sleep.
A few hours later, Chunlan was awake and leaning with Sayu in the shade of a tree as they watched the sun continue to rise. Though they weren't looking at one another as they spoke, gazing into the same sky in peace gave them a deeper sense of connection than doing so ever would.
'I wish I could have learned what the Oni's deal was,' Sayu mused. 'I still have a whole lot of questions.'
'And I wish I could tell you,' Chunlan responded. 'But I will say that toward the end, I did feel kind of sorry for him. It felt like something was pushing him to a point where there was no turning back even if he wanted.'
'You thought so, too? Though I suppose it's all moot point now... He attacked, and we defended ourselves. That was all.'
Dau slept soundly near a pile of straw the two managed to put together. According to Sayu, the worst was over, and he would recover. At the same time, they both looked over to the collapsed cave along the slope.
There was no sign of movement.
Mount Whitecrown had its natural silence returned to it at last.
'I think I finally get why you can walk your path without hesitation,' Chunlan said.
'Do you? In a way that will help you along your own path?'
'Yeah. I think it will.' Chunlan had dreamed briefly that he was reunited with his father. They exchanged no words, but the dream was a simple one, unclouded by indiscernible emotions. His father told him he was proud of him—that he could now move on to find his next goal in life. And, after ruffling his son's hair much as he did so often while still living, he disappeared.
It was enough to remind Chunlan why he was always so bound by everything his father told him.
'I've always wanted my life to have meaning,' Chunlan continued. 'I wanted meaning to feel like a Matagi. Meaning to know I really was 'facing life,' as my dad had put it. And not knowing how to find it left me at a standstill.'
'But after meeting you and just giving everything into seeing your goal completed, I think I better get what he meant. Meaning isn't something to search for or justify in the moment—it's something you find when you look back on what's been done. If I can think back on the life I've faced and see that it meant something to me, then I've already fulfilled our beliefs as Matagi.'
Though weaved into another's path, he found something new and wonderful about himself that he would never have found otherwise.
'Heh. I guess that makes us opposites.'
Sayu let out a small chuckle followed by the brightest, widest smile Chunlan had seen from her yet. Having lowered his gaze from the environment surrounding them to meet hers, Chunlan was left to wonder how such an unrefined smile could feel so serene at the same time. So clear were her eyes then that he could even see himself in them—a face with a similarly brilliant, warm expression that he almost could not recognize.
Feeling suddenly sheepish from watching her for too long, he turned away. 'Opposites?'
'Well, for me, I feel like meaning comes first. Before I do anything, I make sure there's meaning behind the decisions I'm making.'
'Wow. Then we really are just as opposite as you can get.'
Since Sayu had faith that her every action would be worth something, she never had to look back and wonder if that she had done was worthwhile. Chunlan, however, thought it better to look back at what was done and glean a new, more solid foundation from the path already forged.
'I'll always be stuck in the past, I guess,' he whispered.
'I don't think that's true.' Sayu pointed his attention to the Blade of the Thundering Skies. 'I think you're a little more like me than you think. We never could have won this fight without you. In fact, I'd say we won our battles because you trusted that your help would turn the tides in our favor.'
'And maybe I'm a little more like you than I think, too. Our paths and goals just happened to cross,' Sayu continued, 'but here we are now, looking back and having gotten something out of this coincidental experience. Meaning.'
Both sides brought something of themselves to the day, working to cover for each other's weaknesses in order to overcome a series of great trials as a team. Despite their short time together, they knew that what they managed to achieve was no small accomplishment.
'So, it sounds to me like you were able to find what you were looking for.'
'Kind of.' Chunlan did have an answer, but he felt it was one among many possible answers to be discovered. Yet for now, at least, it was enough to give him a direction to start walking. 'Not sure if I'll be able to stick to the path I've found the way you guys have.'
'I think you'll be fine. You remind me of the Matagi who showed me mine—and also how I was when I first met him.'
Chunlan still did not know who that vagabond was who showed Sayu her way all those years ago, but he was grateful for the great change he brought in her. In that sense, Chunlan could very much see how he was like the lost little girl the Matagi had guided.
'I wonder what he was looking for in his travels,' Chunlan pondered, 'and where he was going.'
He thought about the past two days some more, and he was left with the sense that had closed a journey he never thought to trek. He met new people he could trust, unbound himself from a broken past, and found courage that would see him to a mended future in such an unimaginably short amount of time—and he was so very proud of it all.
What a sweet feeling it was to realize his life was worth living.
'This might be a big gamble on my part, but...maybe it'd be a good idea to take up new trails. Continue searching for an even bigger path to walk. Like you guys.'
And so Chunlan decided he would take his first steps toward the future. There was no firm road to guide him—but he trusted, with most certainty, that the beaten path walked would look incredible when he turned back around to admire it.
To Be Continued

第16回　価値をその手に
　一つの呪わしき因縁が、またここに絶たれた。
一発の弾丸は火球に姿を変え、閉鎖された環境下で邪悪な存在を呑み込み、焼く。そして留まる事無く膨れ上がる爆炎と衝撃波は洞窟の構造をも揺るがし、脆い岩石層を崩落させる。　「いでっ！　……って、な、何でぇこいつぁ！？」
背中を地面に叩きつけられながらも、痛覚を驚きに上塗りされるダウ。次の瞬間、彼は更なる驚愕を目の当たりにした。　
爆発の影響で緩やかな崩壊を辿ると思われた洞窟が突如、その内外の岩石を到底自然には起こり得ぬ勢いで変形させ始めたのだ。瞬く間に重量バランスを狂わせた洞窟は、その地形ごと盛大な崩落を遂げる。
　　「おいおい、一体何が起きやがったってんだ？」
　　「これがあの《鬼》の最後だ。
全方位から襲い来る爆轟は、岩壁でも決して防げない。
最後は、手当たり次第の岩に干渉したんだろう」
　　　「それが裏目に出て、岩使いの癖して岩に埋もれたってか？　
判らんでもないが……結局、あの爆発は何だったんだ？
あれが《震天の雷剣》の力だってぇのかい？」
　　「……そこら辺は、一番の先生が君の身内にいるだろう？」　
二人の傍らには、いつの間にかサユが座っていた。驚愕の色を特に見せていない彼女だが、それ以外の全てはシュンランやダウと同じものを見ている。
　　　「水素爆発……簡単な理屈だよ。
《震天の雷剣》の真の力は、水分子を集めて分解する事。　
　それを洞窟に貯めて、後は着火するだけであの通り」
　　　「サユ、お前無事で良かったぜ！　ケガはしてねぇか！
よくわからんが、お前が無事なら何でもいいぜ！」
　　「……相変わらずこの手の話は右から左だね。
それより、ダウ兄こそ大丈夫？　《シン》を放ったら……」「あ……いってぇ！　畜生、気ぃ抜いたらこれだ！」
ダウは脇腹に視線を落とし、思い出したようにその表情を苦悶に支配された。彼の周囲の雪は既に赤く染まっている。
　　「ダウ！」
　　　「畜生、流石に傷口が……痛ててて……不甲斐ねぇな……」　「……大丈夫、幸いまだ開きかけ……
でも動かない方が良い。応急処置するから寝てて」
「ああ、悪ぃが頼むわ……」
麻袋から包帯と薬草を取り出すサユ。自分も何か手伝わねば。シュンランは立ち上がろうとするも足の力が抜け、自身も仰向けに倒れている事に気づくのは、数拍を経ての事であった。　「シュンラン！」
　　「大丈夫だ……連戦の疲れと痛みが溢れただけさ……
ダウほど深手じゃない……」
サユはシュンランの身体の動きや出血を見て言葉に偽りが無いと判断したのか、シュンランを案ずる視線を保ちながらも、ダウの介抱の手を早める。
　　「だが……少し休ませてくれ。気付けの薬も無いなら……
幸いここなら寝ても……死にはし……はず――」
　シュンランは薄れゆく視界の中で太陽を背に覗き込むサユの後に、二人の懐かしい人の気配があるように感じた。背中の雪とは裏腹に、それは不思議と暖かい入眠であった。
　　　「結局、あいつは何だったんだろうな」
　　「わからない……でも、最後は何か哀しげだったかも。
何かに引きずられて、後戻りできないみたいで……」
　　　「……君もそう思うか。まあ、俺達には関係ないけどな。
俺達は理不尽な暴力から身を守った、それだけだ」
数時間後、目を覚ましたシュンランとサユは木陰に腰掛け、次第に晴れ行く空を見ていた。今だけは、同じ空を見る方が向かい合うよりも通じ合えそうな気がしていた。
　ダウは近場で見つけた藁(わら)の上に寝ており、サユ曰く容体は安定しているらしい。
二人が少し斜面を見下ろせば、そこは洞窟の崩落跡。《鬼》の復活の気配もなく、ただ静けさを取り戻した白笠嶽があった。「サユ……君がどうして迷わずに進めるのか。
ようやく、それが分かった気がしたよ」
　　　「そう……それはキミのためになれた？」
　　　「ああ、なったとも」
シュンランは、短い夢の中で父と再会していた。言葉は多く交わさない、入り混じった感情の発露も無い。よくやった、次はお前自身が探すんだ、とだけ父は言い、シュンランの頭を撫でる。ただそれだけの夢だった。
　それでもシュンランが、かつて父の言った言葉に自分が縛られていた理由を、そして今の自分に何があるのかを振り返るには十分であった。
　　「俺は自分のする事に“価値”がずっと欲しかったんだ。
《マタギ》として命と向き合う、それに見合うだけの……」
そしてそれを喪失した空虚な期間は、自分から価値に向かう意志を、そこに何の意味があるのかを知る勇気を奪ってきた。「だが……君達と手を取り合って、君達の使命を……
道を守る事にこの身を活かせた今ならわかる。
俺が求めたのは、後で胸を張って意味があると言える価値だ。
今なら言える、俺には《マタギ》である意味があったと」　
そして、まさにそれを以て自分の道を見据える少女。自分が歩み続けた道は、その少女のために身を結んだのだ。
　　「……ふふ。なら、わたしとは“逆引き”かも」
サユはそんなシュンランに、知る限り最も躍動の多い、そして澄んだ笑顔を返す。空から視線を降ろしたシュンランは、こんな笑顔はこうも静かに作れるものなのか、と何気なく思いつつサユを見ていて気付いた。彼女の瞳に反射したシュンラン自身も、サユの笑顔以上に自分らしからぬやたらと晴れやかで澄み渡った表情をしていた事に。
しかしシュンランは気恥ずかしくなり、すぐさま顔を伏せた。「逆引きって……？」
　　「わたしは……どちらかと言えば、意味が先にある。
営みの一つ一つが無意味じゃないって確信できるから……　
　その先に自分だけの価値を作れるはずだと信じてるだけ」　「なるほど、確かに逆引きだ」
サユは、その営みが確かな意味を持つと確信するからこそ、未来に新たな価値を求める。
それは、過去に遡って自らの道に確固たる土台を探し求めてきたシュンランとは、似ているようで対極であった。
　　「結果論に過ぎない俺は、まだまだか……」
　　「……そんな事はないよ」
サユは、《震天の雷剣》をシュンランに指し示す。
　　「この勝利も、わたし達だけじゃ成し得なかった……
わたしからすれば、むしろ判り切った意味の先の価値より、
今そこにある意味を追い求めたシュンランのお陰」
　両者は、互いが営みの中で育んできた技術を以てして、互いの弱点を補い合い、壁を乗り越えた。それは決して容易な事ではなかった。
　　「わたし達は、目指すものも、生きる意味も互いに
補い合える関係だった。だから、共に戦えた。
そしてわたしは一つの価値を得て、キミは意味を得た」
そして、向き合いながら共に歩む中で糸を手繰り寄せてきた。「だから……キミは一つの答えに至れたんじゃないかな？」　「一つの答え、か……」
この答えは数ある答えの一つに過ぎない。それでも、シュンランが自ら生きる道の価値を求め続ける指針として十分足り得るのだろうか。
「俺も……この先歩み続けられるかな……君のように」
　　　「できるよ。わたしに今の道を教えてくれた《マタギ》と
あの時のわたし自身……シュンランは、両方に似てるし」　
かつてサユを導いたという、旅の《マタギ》。彼が如何なる人物なのか、何故旅をしていたのかは分からない。しかし、彼がサユに何を与え、それがサユの中で何に変わったのか。似ていると言われたシュンランは、今なら何となくわかる気がする。「その人は旅で何を見つけて、どこに向かったんだろうな……」
改めて感じれば、シュンランは一つの旅を終えた時のそれにも思える感覚の中に在った。たったの二日間で得た仲間と、越えた壁、断ち切った戒。シュンランの辿った軌跡は、これまでの何よりも濃密で、そして新しかった。
　これが意味を見つける事、価値を得る事であるならば――　「これも賭けになるかもしれないが……もっと大きな道を
歩むのも良いかもしれないな。まさに君達のように……」　
故にシュンランは、一つの道を定めた。
決まった旅路の無き道、決まっていないが故の意味のために。
　　続く