뒷골목 의사 글렌/11권

제１１회 각오

「……휴고 군, 다시 생각하는 게 좋아.」

바로 반론을 한 것은 옆에 있던 루퍼스였다. 그는 글렌을 강하게 노려봤다.

「『팔을 잃지 않고 고칠 수 있는 방법』이란…… 카탈리나에게 했던 수술법이겠지？」

「그것이 실패했음을 누구보다 잘 알고 있는 게 너잖아.」

분노한 그 목소리에 휴고는 기가 꺾기고 말았다. 글렌은 침묵한 채 천천히 두꺼운 파일을 꺼냈다.

「……이것은 내가 뒷골목 의사가 된 후 １０년간 연구한 거다.」

그렇게 말하고 루퍼스에게 파일을 건넸다. 파일을 받아든 루퍼스는 그 무게에 깜짝 놀랐다.

파일에는 《결정병》에 관한 방대한 연구 데이터가 있었다. 환자 차트, 사례, 실시한 처치 보고서…… 불법적으로 입수한 자료도 있었다.

그리고 마지막 장에는……

루퍼스가 알고 있는 것과는 다른 《결정병》의 새로운 수술법이 적혀있었다.

「그때, 카탈리나를 수술했기에…… 그 덕분에 가능했던 거다.」

글렌은 많은 것을 말하지는 않았지만 뒷골목 의사라는 비뚤어진 길을 걸으면서도 《결정병》과 계속 싸워왔다는 것은 명백했다. 그간 많은 환자를 만나고 수많은 수술을 했기에 완성에 다다른 것이었다.

『내가 사랑하는 글렌이라면 반드시──』

언니의 믿음이 틀리지 않았음에 자기도 모르게 셰리는 눈물을 흘렸다.

「……음, 이 수술법이라면 분명 환자의 생명을 지킬 수 있을 듯하군.」

파일을 살펴본 루퍼스는 글렌의 수술법에서 가능성을 느꼈다. 그 말에 휴고도 기쁜 표정을 보였다.

「……그렇다 하더라도 난 네게 환자를 넘길 수 없어.」

「어, 어째서죠！？」

셰리가 당황해하며 그 의미를 묻자 그는 침묵한 채 글렌을 노려봤다.

「나는 전에……셰리에게 카탈리나가 이 수술법의 밑거름이 되고자 위험한 수술에 임했다는 것을 들었다.」

「허나 당사자인 넌, 카탈리나의 죽음을 견디지 못하고 병원에서 도망쳤다.」

「카탈리나는 목숨을 내던질 각오였지만 넌 그걸 받아들일 각오가 전혀 안 되어 있었어！」

「……그랬던 너에게 수술을 맡길 수는 없다.」

글렌은 눈을 감고 그 말을 곱씹었다. 정곡이 찔려 고통으로 다가왔다.

「응, 네 말이 맞아.」

「그때 내겐 의사로서의 최소한의 각오가 없었어. 그래서 뒷골목 의사 따위로 전락했던 거고.」

「……그러나 뒷골목 의사를 한 덕분에 배운 것도 있다.」

글렌은 빠르게 자신의 허리에 손을 뻗었다. 숨겨둔 딱딱한 감촉을 확인하고는 그것을 꺼내어 루퍼스의 코앞에 들이댔다.

──라인폴트사의 도력총이 병실에 드리워진 저녁해를 날카롭게 반사했다.

한순간에 그 자리의 공기가 얼어붙었다.

「……협박이라도 할 생각이냐？」

살기를 내뿜는 총을 보고 루퍼스도 동요를 감추지 못했다.

글렌은 빙긋 웃으며 방아쇠에 손가락을 걸었다.

──다음 순간 그립이 빙글 돌아갔다. 총구의 방향과 함께 입장이 역전되었다.

「……환자에게 죽음의 위험을 지게 하는 이상 의사인 나도 상응하는 위험을 지겠다.」

「만약 수술에 실패하면 이것으로 나를 죽여라.」

글렌의 말에는 진심이 담겨 있었다.

그것은 뒷골목 의사로서 뒷세계에서 살아온 그만의 『각오』였다.

──무거운 정적이 찾아왔다.

모두가 루퍼스의 답을 기다리고 있었다.

그는 안경 속의 눈을 조용히 감고…… 총을 건네받았다.

「……좋다 글렌. 너의 각오……진심인 것 같군.」

「그 수술법이 휴고 군의 “목숨”을 구할 수 있다면…… 나도 거기에 걸겠다.」

Chapter 11: Resolve

'Hugo, you should reconsider,' Rufus swiftly interjected. Though he was addressing Hugo, his gaze was fixed squarely on Glenn. Rufus shot a fierce glare at his former colleague. 'This procedure to cure him without losing his hands... Is this the same procedure you attempted on Katarina? You should know better than anyone what a failure that was.' The cold anger in Rufus' voice pierced Glenn like icy daggers.

In response, Glenn held up the thick file he was carrying. 'This is the result of all the research I've done in the ten years since I became a back alley doctor.' He tossed the file to Rufus, who was taken off guard for a moment by its sheer weight.

He began scanning through the documents. The file contained an enormous amount of research about crystallization. Clinical records, medical cases, reports of procedures and results... It was obvious some materials were illegally obtained, but they were all highly informative.

As Rufus reached the final document in the file, his eyes widened. The document was a highly-detailed description of a new surgical procedure, different from the one Rufus knew of--the one that had cost Katarina her life.

'I developed that after going over everything that happened during Katarina's surgery back then... It's all thanks to her,' Glenn said quietly, before falling silent. It was clear he had continued fighting the crystallization disease for a long time, even after he left lawful medical practice. Years of treating patients as a back alley doctor had allowed him to research and perfect a new procedure.

'Because one way or another, my beloved Glenn will succeed...' Realizing her sister's words were right, Sherry began to softly cry.

'It is true that by performing the procedure this way, the odds of the patient's survival should be greatly increased,' said Rufus after glancing over the document. The effectiveness of Glenn's perfected technique was immediately clear to him. Hugo even perked up upon hearing Rufus' approval. However, Rufus then looked up at Glenn, the same icy glare still in his eyes.

'Even so, I cannot hand my patient over to you.'

'Wh-Why?!' Sherry stammered, bewildered. Glenn simply stood silently as Rufus continued.

'I've heard from Sherry how Katarina faced the danger of that surgery in order to give you more experience. To ensure that even if she did not survive, others would. She had the resolve to sacrifice her own life for that. But you?' Rufus' eyes narrowed at he continued to glare at Glenn. 'In the face of her death, you chose to run. You fled the hospital to go wallow in an alley for a decade. Your resolve is nowhere near hers, and I refuse to entrust one of my patients to someone as weak-willed as you.'

Glenn closed his eyes and let Rufus' words sink in. They cut through him like finely-honed blades, made all the more sharp by the fact that he knew every word was true.

'You're absolutely right,' he said. 'Back then, I didn't even have the bare minimum of resolve needed to take down this disease. As a result, I ran away and started drowning in my regrets.' Glenn looked Rufus square in the eye. 'But you know what? Thanks to these past ten years of 'wallowing in an alley,' I've learned a few things.'

As he finished speaking, he moved his hand to his hip. He felt the familiar sensation of the cold, metallic object he had concealed there. Holding the grip firmly, he pulled it out and pointed it directly at Rufus.

It took Rufus a moment to register what was going on, but when his eyes finally focused on the object now hovering right before the tip of his nose, he realized he was looking down the barrel of a Reinford-made orbal gun. The light from the setting sun flooded through the room's windows and cast a golden gleam on the weapon's surface.

Despite the warm light, it felt as though the air in the room had suddenly froze.

'Are you threatening me?' Rufus finally forced out a question to break his stunned silence. His tone was defiant, but he could do nothing to hide his trembling.

Glenn smirked wryly and began to move his finger toward the trigger.

Then, suddenly, in one fluid motion, he flipped the gun around in his hand. The muzzle spun toward him, and the situation was reversed with it.

'Since the patient bears a risk of dying, it only makes sense that I, as his doctor, should also bear an equal risk,' Glenn said, offering the gun to Rufus. 'If the surgery doesn't succeed, I want you to use this to kill me.'

It was clear from the steely look in Glenn's eyes that he was absolutely serious. This was his unique resolve, forged from years of dealing with criminals--the resolve only a doctor of the underworld could have.

A heavy silence fell over the room as everyone there awaited Rufus' answer. He calmly closed his eyes, his expression hidden by the sunlight reflecting off his lenses. After a moment, he reached out and grabbed the grip of the gun.

'Heh. What a stupid stunt,' he said, a small grin on his face. 'But your resolve seems to be real enough, at least. If you truly think this procedure of yours can save Hugo, then I'll bet on your success, too.'

第１１回　覚悟

「……ヒューゴ君、考え直したほうがいい。」

すぐさま反論したのは、そばにいたルーファスだ。 彼は、グレンを強く睨みつけた。

「『腕を失わずに治せる方法』とは……カタリナに施した術式だな？」

「あれが失敗だったことを誰より分かっているのはお前のはずだ。」 怒気が孕むその声に、ヒューゴは怯んでしまう。 グレンは黙ったまま、 おもむろに分厚いファイルを取り出した。

「……こいつは俺が闇医者になってから１０年かけて研究してきたものだ。」 そう言ってルーファスにファイルを投げ渡す。 彼は重量感のあるそれを受け取って驚愕した。

そこには、《結晶病》に関する 膨大な研究データが記されていたのだった。 患者のカルテ、症例、行なわれた処置の報告書…… 明らかに違法な手段で入手したと分かるものもある。 そして最後の頁には…… ルーファスが知るものとは違う、 《結晶病》の新しい術式が載っていた。

「あの時、カタリナの手術をして……そのおかげで出来たものだ。」

グレンは多くを語らなかったが、 闇医者として道を外れながらも、 長い間《結晶病》と戦い続けていたのは明白だった。 闇医者として多くの患者を扱い、 数々の手術を行なったことで完成に至ったのだ。 『私の愛するグレンなら、きっとやってくれる──』 姉の言葉が間違いではなかった事を知り、 不意にシェリーの瞳から涙がこぼれた。

「……確かに、この術式なら患者の命を守れる可能性は高いだろう。」 一通りファイルを読んだルーファスは、 グレンの術式に手応えを感じていた。 その言葉に、ヒューゴも喜びの表情を見せる。

「……それでも、私はお前に患者を渡すわけにはいかない。」

「ど、どうしてですか！？」 シェリーが困惑してその意味を尋ねると、 彼は今一度無言のままのグレンを睨みつけた。

「私は以前……シェリー君からカタリナがこの術式の糧となるべく危険な手術に臨んだことを聞いた。」

「だが、当のお前はカタリナの死に耐えられず、病院から逃げてしまった。」

「命すら差し出したカタリナの覚悟に対して、お前にはまるで覚悟ができていなかったんだ。」

「……そんなお前に手術を任せることはできん。」

グレンは瞑目してその言葉を噛み締める。 それは痛いほどに的を射ていた。

「ああ、確かにその通りだ。」

「俺には医者として最低限の覚悟がなかった。結果、闇医者なんかに身を落とした。」

「……だがな、闇医者をやってたおかげで学んだこともある。」

言うや否や、グレンは勢いよく己の腰に手をやる。 隠していたものの硬い感触を確かめ、 それを引き抜いてルーファスの鼻先に突きつけた。

──ラインフォルト社製の導力銃が 病室に差し込む夕日を鈍く反射していた。

一瞬で場の空気が凍りつく。

「……脅迫でもするつもりか。」 殺気を放つそれを見て、 ルーファスも動揺を隠せなかった。 グレンはニヤリと口元を歪め、引鉄に指をかける。 ──次の瞬間、グリップがクルリと反転した。 銃口の向きとともに、立場が逆転した形になる。

「……患者に死のリスクを負わせる以上、医師である俺も相応のリスクを負う。」

「もし手術が失敗したら、こいつで俺を殺せ。」

グレンの言葉には真に迫るものがあった。 それは、闇医者として裏社会で生きた 彼ならではの『覚悟』だった。 ──重苦しい静寂が訪れる。 誰もがルーファスの答えを待っていた。 彼は、眼鏡の奥の相貌を静かに閉じ…… そして、差し出された銃のグリップを握った。

「……いいだろう、グレン。お前の覚悟……本物のようだ。」

「その術式がヒューゴ君の“命”を救うというなら……俺もそれに賭けよう。」