붉은 달의 로제/6권

제6회　피투성이 로제

밤이 온 제도에는 정적이 흘렀다.

낮에 제도의 치안을 지키는 갈라드 부대에서 『흡혈귀 사건』의 범인이라고 추정되는 인물에 대해 통지가 있었다. 구체적인 범인의 특징이 전달되고 사건에 대한 사람들의 공포심이 고조됨과 동시에 사건에 대한 경계심도 강해져 있었다.

그런 세상의 움직임과 역행하듯, 어둡고 인기척 없는 밤거리를 여성으로 보이는 작은 그림자가 걷고 있었다. 장식이 얼마 없는 드레스를 입은, 중류 계급의 아가씨로 보이는 차임새로, 정적이 흐르는 마을에 구두 소리를 울리며 어딘가로 향하고 있다. 몸을 감싸듯 작게 수그린 등은 어쩐지 공포에 떨고 있는 것처럼 보인다. 실제로 젊은 여성을 중심으로 온몸에서 피가 뽑혀 살해당하는 엽기적인 사건이 일어나고 있는 이상 겁먹은 듯한 발걸음도 무리는 아닐 것이다. 그녀는 주의 깊게 주위를 두리번거리며 더욱 어두운 골목 안쪽으로 걸음을 옮겼다. 희미한 달빛을 쬐어 그녀의 발에서 뒤로 쭉 뻗은 그림자. 그것이 고요히, 천천히 팽창하기 시작했다. 팽창한 그림자는 걸어가는 여성의 뒤에 찰싹 달라붙은 채로 서서히 일어섰다.

이윽고 그림자는 소리 없이, 사람의 형상을 이루었다.

전신을 검은 옷으로 감싸고 얼굴 윗부분을 덮은 불길한 모습. 요사스러운 미소를 띤 입 안쪽에는 날카로운 이빨.

흡혈귀. 전설 속의 존재이기만 했던 그것은 그 장소에 완전히 모습을 나타내었다. 그림자와 동화된 검은 옷 안쪽에서 창백한 손이 천천히 모습을 드러냈다. 그 손은 조용히 여성을 향해 뻗어 갔다. 날카롭고 검은 손톱이 어깨까지 내려오는 금발을 파헤치고 목에 닿았다.

──순간, 흡혈귀는 손톱에서 무언가가 온몸으로 밀려들어오는 것을 느꼈다. 그것은 바로 “살기”였다. 지금부터 온몸의 피를 빨려 목숨을 잃고 가엾은 언데드로 변모할 운명인 연약한 생물이 발할 리는 없을.

위험을 감지한 흡혈귀는 순간적으로 피하려고 했지만 옆에서 새로운 살기가 하나도 놓치지 않겠다는 기세로 날아든다. 발 밑의 돌들을 파괴하는 소리와 함께 흡혈귀의 오른팔은 갈기갈기 찢겼다.

『큭……！』

흡혈귀는 무심결에 신음했다. 은빛의 빛나는 날카로운 칼날이 호를 그리며 연속으로 날아와 차례로 오른팔을 관통했다. 하지만 그게 끝이 아니었다. 땅에 꽂힌 무수한 칼날들은 더욱 살기를 발한다. 다음 순간, 그것들은 지면에서 무시무시한 기세로 발사되어 아까의 궤적을 덧그리듯 호를 그렸다. 연달아 오른팔을 절단하려는 순간 흡혈귀는 간신히 비켜났다.

걸레짝이 되어 연기를 분출하는 오른팔을 붙잡으며 여성과 거리를 두는 흡혈귀. 무수한 칼날은 여성의 전방, 어느새 여성이 쥐고 있던 날 없는 칼자루로 향했다. 튼튼한 철선으로 연결되어 있던 칼날이 차례로 겹쳐졌고 이윽고, 그것은 한 자루 검의 모습이 되었다.

불가사의한 검. 법검(템플 소드)이라 불리는 그것을 휘둘러 피를 털어낸다. 검을 쥔 그녀의 모습에는 이미 밤의 어둠에 떨던 연약함은 느껴지지 않는다. 여성이 천천히 돌아보자 금발 안쪽으로 무표정의 늠름한 얼굴이 보였다.

흡혈귀 사냥꾼 로제.

『유인당한 건가, 큭큭. 훌륭한 솜씨군』

「칭찬 고맙군요」

로제는 오른손에 법검을 쥔 채 곧장 품에서 무언가를 꺼냈다. 은색으로 빛나는 거대한 권총. 군에서 쓰는 것보다도 더 거대한, 괴물 같은 총이었다. 조준을 흡혈귀에게 맞추고 방아쇠를 가차없이 당겼다. 화약이 작렬하며 발생하는 폭음. 보통 사람이라면 어깨뼈가 나갈 정도로 강한 충격을 로제는 아무렇지도 않게 견뎌냈고, 교회에서 축복을 받은 은탄환이 발사되었다. 흡혈귀는 한층 더 빠르게 그것을 피하고 로제의 배후로 이동했다. 즉각 조준을 흡혈귀에게 맞추는 로제.

「도망치는 실력 하나는 대단하군요」

『그렇다면 이건 어떠냐？』

흡혈귀가 그렇게 말하며 검은 옷을 크게 뒤집자 원래의 질량을 무시하며 팽창하기 시작했고, 그 안에서 언데드(구울)들이 기어 나왔다. 그 수는 5, 6, 7… 점점 늘어나 10에 이른다. 어젯밤의 전투로부터 하루도 지나지 않았는데 이만큼의 사람들을 습격할 시간은 없었을 것이다.

「과연, 당신은 지금까지 사람의 피를 빨면서 동시에 신고할 만한 가족들이 없는 사람들을 납치한 거군요. 그리고 지금까지 어딘가에 가두어 두었고」

『정답이다. “흡혈귀 사냥꾼”의 존재는 알고 있었으니까. 식사를 하지 못하게 될 만일의 경우에 대비한 “비축”이라고 할 수 있지』

「구역질이 나는군요」

조용히 말하는 로제. 입고 있던 변장용 드레스를 잡아당기자 드레스가 찢어지고, 그 안에서 튼튼한 가죽소재로 만들어진 움직이기 편한 복장─ 곳곳이 벨트로 장식되고 거대한 총과 나이프 등의 대 흡혈귀용 무기를 곳곳에 장비한 전투용 옷으로 바뀌었다. 아까보다 한층 더 강해진 로제의 살기에 흡혈귀는 사악한 웃음을 지었다.

『가라…！』

신호와 함께 언데드들이 일제히 로제에게 덤벼들었다.

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「하아, 하아…… 로제, 어디 있어！？」

알폰스는 술집에서 나온 후 제도를 돌며 게속해서 로제의 모습을 찾고 있었다. 하지만 심야 순찰을 도는 동료들 중 누구도 그 모습을 보지 못했다. 알폰스에게는 이 사건을 쫓는 이유가 있다. 부모가 살해당한 사건을 어떤 형태로든 매듭짓기 위해. 그래서 로제에게 흡혈귀 사냥에 협력하겠다고 했다. 하지만 그녀는 혼자서 흡혈귀와 싸우려 하고 있다.

너무 위험하다. 자꾸만 살해당한 부모의 모습이 뇌리에 떠오른다. 그런 광경은 두 번 다시 보고 싶지 않다. 뛰어가며 굳게 다짐하는 알폰스. 그런 그의 귀에 어떤 소리가 들려왔다. 전투의 소리였다. 그렇게 직감하고 둘러보다 눈에 들어온 골목길 구석에서 들린 소리임을 확인한다. 알폰스는 망설임 없이 골목길로 뛰어갔고, 그 처절한 광경을 목격하게 되었다.

◇

처음 덤벼든 것은 2구의 언데드였다. 로제는 법검을 거두고 그 대신 다른 대형권총을 꺼내 들었다. 인간의 한계를 초월한 강렬한 주먹과 손톱을 코끝으로 피하고 두 정의 권총으로 각각 언데드의 미간을 조준하여 방아쇠를 당겼다. 엄청난 충격으로 인해 머리가 날아간 언데드들. 자세가 무너진 로제를 기다렸다는 듯, 사각에서 또 다른 언데드 3구가 덤벼들었다. 로제는 그것을 소리만으로 파악하고, 그쪽을 쳐다보지도 않고 권총을 조준해 그 중 2구의 머리를 정확하게 꿰뚫었다. 공격당하지 않은 남은 1구가 사납게 벌린 입으로 로제의 두개골을 물어 부수려 했지만 그녀는 자세를 바로잡으며 갖고 있던 권총을 재빠르게 거두고 차분히 전방으로 회전한 후 뽑아 놓았던 법검으로 언데드를 가랑이부터 절단했다.

그 상태로 절묘하게 착지한 뒤, 언데드가 쓰러지기도 전에 그것을 옆으로 차서 날렸다. 그리고 다른 방향에서 공격해 오는 다른 2구의 언데드를 향해 법검을 휘둘렀다. 휘두른 방향으로 도신은 무수히 많은 칼날이 되어 언데드들의 목을 관통했고, 두 구의 머리가 과일처럼 갈라졌다.

눈 깜짝할 사이에 7구의 언데드를 제압한 로제는 기분 나쁜 미소를 짓는 흡혈귀와 나머지 3구의 언데드를 노려보았다. 그녀가 다시 허리에 찬 두개의 권총을 뽑아 남은 탄환들을 쏘아대며 그쪽으로 질주했다. 언데드들을 방패삼아 막는 흡혈귀. 이윽고 탄환이 소진되었고, 언데드가 전부 쓰러졌음을 확인한 로제는 빈 권총 두 정을 버리고 그대로 다시 법검을 뽑아 흡혈귀의 목을 노리고 옆으로 휘둘렀다.

날카로운 금속음. 흡혈귀가 검은 옷 안쪽에 숨겨 두었던 검을 뽑아 로제의 법검을 막아냈다. 맞닿은 검들 사이에서 파직파직 불꽃이 솟는다. 지난 밤의 전투를 되풀이하듯 교착 상태에 빠지는 두 그림자.

『그렇게까지 가차없이 언데드들을 없애 버리다니. 저것들과 싸운 사람들은 조금은 동요하면서 움직임이 둔해졌는데 말이야』

「저에게 있어 언데드는 흡혈귀에게 조종당하는 가엾은 인형. 영혼을 잃어버린 이상 주저할 이유도 없지요」

『큭큭, 재미있군. 과연 “흡혈귀 사냥꾼”다워』

금속과 금속이 일으키는 마찰 소리가 울려 퍼졌다. 흡혈귀는 언데드가 된 그들로부터 빨아들인 피로 인해 지난 밤보다 확실히 힘이 강해져 있었다. 아까 다친 오른팔은 이미 회복되어 원래의 형상을 되찾았다. 하지만 “흡혈귀 사냥꾼”으로서 모든 힘을 발휘한 로제도 결코 힘에서 밀리고 있지 않았다. 둘의 힘은 역시 대등했다.

「우오오오오오오！！」

함성과 함께 나타난 것은 군복을 입은 청년, 알폰스. 허를 찔러 로제에게 받은 단검을 뽑아 흡혈귀의 옆구리를 찔렀다. 익숙하지 않은 무기라 공격이 얕은 탓에 치명적인 타격은 주지 못했지만 균형을 무너트리기에는 충분했다. 그 틈을 놓치지 않고 힘으로 흡혈귀의 검을 뿌리친 로제는 물 흐르듯이 연타를 날린다. 텅 빈 가슴으로부터 왼쪽 팔을 향해 일직선으로 참격을 날리자 흡혈귀의 몸에서 피가 튀었다.

검은 옷 안쪽에서 무언가가 찢겨져 날아갔다. 흡혈귀는 가슴을 감싸고 몸을 웅크렸지만 아무래도 법검은 겉가죽을 스쳤을 뿐인 듯했다. 대단한 몸놀림이다. 다시 거리를 둔 흡혈귀는 혀를 차고는 그쪽으로 검을 겨눈 두 사람을 번갈아 노려보았다.

『아무래도 이대로는 불리하겠군. 이만 물러나지』

그리고는 또 다시 몸을 안개로 만들어 그 자리에서 순식간에 사라졌다.

「또 놓쳤군……」

알폰스는 단검을 품에 넣으며 흡혈귀가 있던 위치를 바라보았다. 로제는 그런 그를 보더니 한숨을 쉬며 얼굴을 찌푸렸다.

「……왜 오신 거죠？」

언제나처럼 무표정으로 내뱉은 로제의 말에 자신도 모르게 화가 나서 그녀의 어깨를 붙잡는 알폰스.

「왜냐고？ 당신이야말로 왜 혼자 왔어！？ 너무 위험하다고……！」

「위험……했다니, 정말 그렇게 생각합니까？」

로제는 무표정으로── 아니, 지금까지 보인 적도 없는, 압도적일 정도로 차가운 표정으로 알폰스를 응시했다. 번쩍 정신을 차리고 로제를 다시 살펴본다. 그녀는 진홍색으로 물들어 있었다. 달빛에 확실하게 비추어진 그 모습에 순간 놀라며 그녀의 어깨를 잡았던 손을 보자, 거기에도 질척한 것이 묻어 있었다. 로제 자신에게는 상처 하나 없었다. 그건 전부 언데드 속에 남아 있던 탁한 피였다.

「저는 이래 봬도 “흡혈귀 사냥꾼”인 몸입니다. 지금까지 얼마나 많은 흡혈귀나 언데드를 쓰러트려 왔는지 당신은 상상도 못하겠지요」

알폰스는 확실히 보았다. 가차없이 언데드들을 쓰러트리는 모습을. 사람의 모습을 한 상대에게 가차없이 무기를 휘두르며 선혈과 함께 춤추듯 싸우는 그녀를. 명백하게 차원이 달랐다. 그건 괴물간의 싸움이었다. 그것을 피부로 느끼고 있었기에 아까까지 개입하지 못한 것이었다.

완전히 말문이 막혀 버린 알폰스를 보며 후, 하고 차갑게 웃는 로제.

「알, 당신의 협력은 더 이상 필요 없습니다. 모든 것을 잊고 일상으로 복귀해 주십시오」

그녀는 처음에 만났을 때와 마찬가지로 정중하게 인사했다.

Chapter 6 - Bloodstained Rose

The city of Heimdallr was deathly silent. During the day, word had been spread throughout the populace from the Garrard Team regarding the culprit behind the Vampire Murders. Knowing specific details about the perpetrator instilled an even greater sense of fear into the people of the city, making them even more wary of stepping out of their homes at night. That the streets would be empty was an inevitability. And yet, on one dark avenue in the city, a petite woman walked alone, as if to defy all of that.

She wore a plain, undecorated dress, and from all appearances belonged to the middle classes. She walked quite quickly, the sound of her shoes against the ground echoing loudly in the empty streets. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her chest, almost as if embracing herself, and she was hunched forward,  clearly afraid of something. Of course, it was perfectly natural for her to be afraid considering that the majority of the victims of the city's serial murderer were young women like herself.

She looked around restlessly, carefully surveying her surroundings for signs of danger before disappearing down a dark alleyway. The faint moonlight illuminated her profile as she turned the corner and cast a long shadow behind her...which slowly and silently began to enlarge. 

Gradually, the silhouette extended upwards, the inky depths taking the shape of a man. It loomed behind her.

The figure was swathed all in black, with the top half of its face covered. The bottom half remained exposed, revealing a wicked grin and sharp, pointed fangs. It was a vampire, a creature of legend. It stood silently behind the woman, very much real despite its supposed mythological standing. From the sable folds of the cloak swaddling its body, it slowly extended a pale hand. 

The fingers stretched forward. Sharp, pointed nails gently swept aside the woman's shoulder- length blond hair. The tips brushed the back of her neck almost caressingly. The second they did, though, it seemed to sense that something was wrong.

Its prey was behaving oddly. It hadn't expected the frail creature before it to put up the slightest resistance. She should have frozen at its touch, or given in to despair, having no choice but to succumb to the inevitable and have her blood drained. What it felt from her instead, however, was defiance and danger - this woman was no prey. Hunter had met hunter. The creature tensed, ready to leap backwards. Too late, it realized another threat radiated from directly beside it. 

There was no avoiding it. The sound of paving stones cracking resounded in the still night, and its outstretched right arm was suddenly shredded by numerous sharp objects.

The vampire let out an involuntary hiss of pain as a wave of silver blades arced through air and flesh, one after another, but the attack wasn't over. The vampire sensed danger from below, too, and the blades which impaled into the ground suddenly arced upwards with alarming speed, as if retracing their path through the air. Just as the blades were about to sever its right arm from its body once and for all, it was able to jump out of their way. 

Clutching its mangled limb, the vampire edged further back to put distance between itself and the woman. It watched balefully with narrowed eyes as the razor-sharp segments that had pierced it soared back over to the bladeless handle in the woman's hand - when she had drawn it, it didn't know.

Connected by sturdy steel wires, the segments interlocked one by one, eventually forming a complete blade known as a templar sword. She swung it, shaking the blood from its surface. Every last trace of the weakness she had shown earlier when hurrying through the night was gone. 

She turned around finally, revealing the dignified, expressionless face that had lain on the other side of the sleek blond curtain of hair.

It was the vampire hunter, Rose.

'So you were trying to lure me out, were you?' the vampire sneered. 'Heh. Such cunning.' Its words were sharp, but the delivery fell somewhat tremulously on the rough cobblestones of the empty alley. 

'You flatter me,' Rose said.

Her templar sword still raised in her right hand, she put her left hand into her pocket and pulled out an unbelievably large caliber pistol, greater in size than those used in the army. She aimed it at the vampire's forehead and pulled the trigger without a moment's hesitation. The gunpowder flash illuminated the alleyway briefly, and a single blessed silver bullet flew from the muzzle with merciless intent. Such was the force of the discharge that an ordinary person's shoulder would have been dislocated, but Rose didn't so much as twitch. 

The vampire moved with liquid speed, dodging the projectile just in time and slipping behind Rose. Not the slightest perturbed by its change in direction, Rose moved as well and kept the pistol focused on the creature, tracking the vampire's every movement.

'You're quite adept at fleeing, if nothing else,' she said coolly.

'Would you prefer I did something like this, then?' the vampire asked. As it spoke, it fluttered the black garments it was draped in, and they began to expand, the folds stretching to impossible size before her eyes. Pitiful moans echoed in the dark depths. Rose watched with narrowed eyes as a number of ghouls crawled out from within as if emerging from thin air. 

...5...6...7...

Eventually, she counted ten in all.

It hadn't even been 24 hours since their previous  battle. The vampire couldn't possibly have attacked that many people in that time...

Rose's mouth tightened. 'I see. And here we believed the reported murders to be the only victims, but that wasn't the case at all. You were abducting others who had no living relatives to notice that they were gone and keeping them locked up somewhere, weren't you?' 

'Precisely. With a vampire hunter on the loose, I had to make sure I had some food in reserve. I'd rather not run the risk of going hungry, you see.'

'The very thought makes me feel physically ill,' Rose replied quietly.

With a vicious yank she tore the dress she had worn as a disguise from her body. Underneath it, sturdy leather clothes designed with mobility in mind were revealed. Attached to them were numerous belts holding large guns, knives, and other anti- vampire weaponry in place. It was clear at a glance that she was well prepared for battle. 

The sight of Rose's arsenal coaxed a sickly smile from the vampire.

'Go forth, my minions.'

And with a wave of its pallid hand, the ghouls leaped forward. 

'Where are you, Rose?!' Alphonse shouted between pants as he ran back and forth across the city, desperately searching for her. Try as he might, though, he could find no sign of the blond woman. Even his fellow soldiers patrolling the streets had seen nothing.

Alphonse had a very specific reason for pursuing this case, and he didn't intend to lose this opportunity to put the past behind him. That was what led him to propose that he and Rose work together, a proposal which she had accepted. And yet despite all of that, she was trying to fight the vampire all on her own. It was too risky, even for her. His mind was full of worry for her, and that fear conjured forth the image of his parents' dead bodies. 

Never again. He never wanted to see a sight like that again. Wishing over and over again that Rose was still all right, he raced on, and it was then that he heard a sound that caught his attention: the clash of battle. As soon as the noise reached his ears, he quickly surveyed his surroundings. The source seemed to be an alleyway nearby. Without a thought spared for his own safety, he charged into the alleyway. There, an unbelievable sight met his eyes. 

Two ghouls lunged at her. Sheathing her templar sword into its scabbard, Rose drew a second large  pistol in its place. The ghouls swung their fists and ragged nails towards her with inhuman power, but she dodged them gracefully. As she spun out of their range, she aimed one pistol at each ghoul's forehead and pulled the triggers simultaneously. Flesh and bone were obliterated instantly. The sheer force  of the blast sent the mangled remains somersaulting  backwards through the air.

The move left Rose slightly unbalanced and, as if seeking to take advantage of that, three more ghouls flew at her from outside her field of vision. The mere sound of their movement was enough to alert her, however, and without even turning to face them she sent two more bullets through the heads of the two ghouls charging her from the sides. The third ghoul's mouth distended, seeking to crush Rose's skull with its teeth, but she danced out of reach, holstering the pistols. Fluidly, she then flipped back through the air, drawing her templar sword at the same time and slicing the lower half of the ghoul's body from the upper half in one swift stroke.

She landed gracefully and kicked the ghoul she had just cut in half out of the way without even waiting for its body to hit the ground. Two more ghouls approached from the fringes, but without waiting for them to draw closer this time, she swung her blade horizontally through the air. It split into pieces, and the countless segmented parts pierced the ghouls' necks. Their heads dropped to the ground like fruit falling from a tree.

Seven of the ghouls incapacitated in what seemed like an instant, Rose turned her attention to the defiantly grinning vampire and the remaining three ghouls with him. She drew the two pistols from around her waist a second time and sprinted towards them, showering them with the remaining loaded bullets. 

The vampire evaded the projectiles by using the remaining ghouls as shields. Out of bullets, Rose drew her templar sword and swung it in the direction of the vampire's neck in one fluid motion, seeking to decapitate it. The next instant, the high-pitched screech of metal against metal filled the air.

The vampire had drawn its own weapon from inside the black garments. It met Rose's blade in midair. The two swords locked against one another, filling the air with sparks and leaving them in a stalemate reminiscent of the previous night's battle. 

'I'm impressed at how unfazed you seemed fighting against those ghouls,' the vampire said, teeth bared but with a slight curl to its lips. 'I would have expected a human to at least hesitate when being forced to fight their own kind.'

'They ceased to be my 'kind' the moment you drank their blood. They are nothing but soulless puppets now - why should I hesitate against them?' 

The creature inclined its head almost respectfully at that. 'Heh. You certainly think like a vampire hunter.'

The sound of metal against metal continued to  reverberate throughout the area. Drinking the blood of the ghouls had allowed the vampire to become even  stronger than the previous night. Its once crippled right arm had already healed and regained its original form. Even so, Rose met it without any sign of strain, her strength matching that of the fell creature before her.

'Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!' 

The loud war cry split the air, startling both combatants, and a third figure suddenly burst onto the scene. The charging figure was dressed in an army uniform and brandished a silver sword. It was Alphonse. Catching the vampire off guard, he slashed at its side. Having no experience with the weapon itself, it was a shallow attack and the damage it dealt far from lethal, but it was enough to break the stalemate.

Seizing the opening, Rose forcefully knocked the vampire's sword out of the way and in one flowing motion slashed horizontally from its exposed chest to its left arm. A crimson gout of blood arced from the wound, splashing the cobblestones. Something also sheared off from within the vampire's garments and flew into the air. 

The vampire clutched its chest in pain, but it was clear that her attack had only grazed it. It seemed that, once again, the creature's preternatural speed had saved it from mortal injury. Eyes darting from one to the other, it backed away with an audible 'tsk'.

'...It looks like the odds are stacked against me.  I will retreat for today,' it said, its outline growing dim, before it turned to mist and vanished into nothingness. 

After a moment of heavy silence, Alphonse sheathed his sword, staring at the spot where the vampire had previously been.

'It got away again...'

Finally looking at him, Rose let out a sigh of disbelief.

'...Why did you come?'

Hearing the coldness in her voice, Alphonse lost his composure. He seized her shoulders in his hands.

'Of course I came!' he yelled. 'What were you thinking trying to fight him on your own?! It's too dangerous to take him on without help!' 

Her cool blue eyes locked with his. 'Dangerous? For me? Do you honestly believe that?' she asked. Her face was as mask-like as ever, but her tone had dropped from chilly to downright glacial.

It had a cooling effect on Alphonse's anger. He took a half-step back and looked at her from top to bottom. Illuminated by the light of the moon, he could see that she was covered in gore. He released her shoulders and stared down at his own hands. They, too, were now wet with blood from touching her. And yet, there was not so much as a scratch on her whole body. The filth covering her entirely belonged to the ghouls she had defeated. 

'I am a vampire hunter, and this is not the first vampire I have hunted. I have killed more of them than you could possibly imagine.'

Alphonse couldn't deny what she was saying. He had seen for himself the skill and grace she had shown when mercilessly slaying all of those ghouls, unmoved by the fact that they were once humans. She had been an artist in battle and the sword her paintbrush. What he had witnessed was beyond his comprehension, a struggle between monsters rather than human beings. That was why he could do nothing but stand and watch at first, unable to intervene. He was lost for words. Rose broke the silence with a short, frosty laugh. 

'Al. I have no further need of your assistance. I suggest you forget about all of this and return to your ordinary life.' She then gave a respectful curtsey much like the one she had when they first met.

第６回　血涂れのロゼ

　夜の帝都は、しんと静まり返っていた。　

日中、帝都の治安を守るガラード队から『吸血鬼事件』の犯人と思われる人物についての通达があった。具体的な犯人の特徴が伝わり、人々の事件への恐怖がさらに高まるとともに、事件への警戒心も强まった。この夜の静寂は、访れるべくして访れるものだった。

　そんな、世の动きとは逆行するかのように——薄暗く、人気のない夜道を、女性と思しき小柄な影が歩いていた。

装饰のあまりされていないドレスを着た、中流阶级の娘といったいでたちで、静まり返った街にコツコツと靴音を响かせながら、早足でどこかへと向かっている。

　身体を抱くようにして小さく丸まった背中は、どことなく恐怖に怯えているように见える。実际、若い女性を中心に全身から血を抜かれ、杀されると言う猟奇的な事件が起きているのだ。彼女が怯えたような足取りになってしまうのも、无理からぬことだろう。　

女性はキョロキョロと注意深く辺りを见回しながら、さらに暗い路地へと足を踏み入れていく。月明かりの淡い光に照らされ、彼女の足から后方へと伸びた影。　

　その影が、静かに、ゆっくりと膨张し始める。膨张した影は歩く女性の后ろにぴたりとくっついたまま、徐々に立ち上がっていく。

　そうして影は、音もなく——人の形を成す。　

全身を黒衣で身を包み、颜面の上半分をも覆った祸々しい姿。妖しく笑みを浮かべた口元には、锐い牙が覗く。

　吸血鬼。伝承の中の存在でしかなかったはずのそれは、もはや完全にこの场に顕现していた。影と同化した黒衣の中から、青白い手がゆっくりと现れる。それはことさら静かに、女性に向かって伸びていく。锐く尖った黒い爪が、肩まで伸びた金髪を静かに掻き分け、首筋に触れる——

——その瞬间、吸血鬼は爪の先端から全身に駆け巡るような何かを感じ取った。

それはまさしく“杀気”である。これから全身の血を吸われて命を落とし、怜れな尸人へと変貌することを运命づけられたか弱い生物から、放たれるはずのなかったものであった。

危険を感じた吸血鬼は一瞬で飞びのこうとするが、真横から新たな杀気が飞来し、それを逃すまいと袭い挂かってくる。足元の敷石を破壊する音と共に、伸ばされていた吸血鬼の右腕はずたずたに切り裂かれた。

『グッ……！』

吸血鬼は思わず呻き声をもらす。

银色に煌く锐い刃——弧を描きつつ连続で飞来したそれが、次々と右腕を通过したのだ。だが、それで终りではない。地に突きたてられた无数の刃は更なる凄まじい杀気を発する。次の瞬间、それらは地面から凄まじい势いで発射され、先ほどの轨迹をなぞる様に弧を描く。今度こそ右腕を切断されようとするその寸前に、吸血鬼はかろうじてその场から飞び退く。　

ぼろ衣のようになって烟を喷出しつづける右腕を押さえつつ、女性との间合いを计る吸血鬼。无数の刃たちは、女性の前方——いつの间にか构えられていた柄だけの剣——に向かっていく。顽丈な鉄线でつながれていた刃が次々と段々重ねになり、やがてそれは一振りの剣の姿となった。

　不可思议な剣——法剣《テンプルソード》と呼ばれるそれを振り、ついた血が払われる。剣を持つ彼女にはもはや、先ほどまでの夜暗に怯えたか弱さは感じられない。　

　ゆっくりと振り向くと、金髪の向こう侧に凛とした无表情の颜立ちが见える。

吸血鬼狩り——ロゼ。　

『おびき出されたということか。クク、见事な手并みだ』　

「お褒め顶き光栄です」　

　ロゼはそう言いながら、右手に法剣を构えたまま、即座に懐から何かを取り出す。白银に辉く大口径の拳铳——军で使われているものよりさらに巨大な、化け物のような铳だ。

狙いを吸血鬼の眉间に定め、その引き金が容赦なく引かれた。火薬の炸裂によって発生する轰音。常人なら肩が外れるような凄まじい冲撃をロゼは难なく受け止めると共に、教会で祝福を受けた银の弾丸が放たれた。　

　しかし吸血鬼は一瞬早くそれをかわし、今度はロゼの后方へと回りこむ。

隙なく反応し、常に照准を吸血鬼に向けるロゼ。　

「逃げることだけはお上手ですね」

『ならば、これではどうだ？』　

　吸血鬼はそう言うと、黒衣を大きく翻す。それはもともとの质量を无视して膨张し、その下から呻き声をあげる虚ろな尸人《グール》が这い出てくる。その数は、５、６、７——段々と増えていき、１０に届くほどとなる。　

昨晩の戦闘からまだ１日と経っていない中、これだけの人间を袭う时间はなかったはずだった。

「——なるほど。あなたは今まで人々の血を吸いながら、同时に捜索届けの出されない身寄りのない人々をさらっていたのですね。

そして、今までどこかへと闭じ込めていた」　

『ご明察だ。“吸血鬼狩り”の存在は知っていたのでな。万が一にも食事ができない场合の“备蓄”とさせてもらっていたわけだ』　

「吐き気を催します」

　ロゼは静かに言うと、身にまとっていた変装用のドレスを引っ张り、强引に破り舍てた。すると、その下から——顽丈な皮の素材で作られた动きやすい服装——所々にベルトが装饰され、巨大な铳やナイフといった対吸血鬼用兵装を至る所に备えつけた、戦闘用の服が露になる。　

　先ほどよりさらに高められたロゼの杀気に、吸血鬼は邪悪な笑みを浮かべた。

『ゆけ——』　

合図とともに、尸人たちが一斉にロゼに向かっていく。

「はあはあ……どこだ、ロゼ！？」

　アルフォンスは、酒场を出てから帝都を走り回り、ずっとロゼの姿を探していた。

だが、深夜の巡回をする同僚たちは谁も、その姿を见かけていなかった。

アルフォンスにはこの事件を追う理由がある。両亲が杀された事件に、何らかの区切りをつけるために。だからこそロゼに、吸血鬼狩りの协力を申し出たのだ。だが、彼女はおそらく一人きりで吸血鬼と戦おうとしている——危険すぎる。どうしても惨杀された両亲の遗体が脳裏に浮かんでしまう。

　あんな光景はもう见たくない——走りながら强く念じるアルフォンス。そんな彼の耳に、ある音が闻こえてきた。

——戦闘の音だ。そう直感して辺りを见回すと、视界に入った路地の一つがその大元だと确认する。アルフォンスは迷わず路地に飞び込み——その凄绝な光景を目の当たりにした。

最初に飞び挂ってきたのは２体の尸人だ。ロゼは法剣を鞘に収めると、代わりにもう一丁の大型拳铳を取り出す。人间の限界を无视した强烈な拳と爪を鼻先でかわすと、二丁拳铳をそれぞれ尸人の眉间に向け、同时に引き金を引く。凄まじい冲撃に头部が破壊され、もんどりうって吹き飞ぶ尸人たち。

体势を崩したロゼに追い讨ちをかけるように、死角からさらに３体の尸人が袭い挂かる。ロゼはそれを音だけで闻き分けると、そちらを见もせずに拳铳の照准を合わせ、そのうち２体の头を正确に打ち抜いた。　

攻撃を免れた残り１体が狞猛に开いた口でロゼの头盖骨を噛み砕こうとするが、彼女は体势を整えながら持っていた拳铳を素早くしまうと、おもむろに前方に転回し、刹那、引き抜いていた法剣で尸人を股下から両断する。　

　そのまま绝妙なバランスで着地すると、たった今切り裂いた尸人が倒れるのを待たずに真横に蹴り飞ばす。そして、向こう侧から迫ってきていた更に２体の尸人に向かって横剃ぎに法剣を振る。势いのままに刀身は分裂し、无数の刃が尸人たちの喉を通过した。２つの头が果物のように刎ねられる。　

瞬く间に７体を戦闘不能にしたロゼは身を翻し、不敌に笑う吸血鬼と残り３体の尸人を双眸に捉える。彼女は再び腰に携えた二丁拳铳を抜き、残りの弾丸を扫射しながらそちらへと疾走していく。

　吸血鬼は尸人を盾にしてそれをかわしていく。やがて弾丸を撃ちつくし、尸人の全てを倒したことを确认したロゼは弾装の空になった二丁の铳を投げ舍てると、势いのままに再び法剣を引き抜いて、吸血鬼の首を飞ばそうと横剃ぎに振りぬく。

　甲高い金属音が鸣り响いた。金属と金属がかち合う音だ。　

吸血鬼が黒衣の中に携えていた剣を抜き、ロゼの法剣を受け止めたのだった。锷迫り合いとなった剣の接点からちりちりと火花が上がり、昨晩の戦いをなぞるかのような胶着状态となる２人。

『あそこまで容赦なく尸人を倒してのけるとはな。あれと対峙した人间は、少なからず动揺して动きを钝らせるものだが』

「私にとって尸人は、吸血鬼に操られる怜れな人形でしかありません。魂がもはや失われている以上、ためらう理由もないでしょう」　

『クク、面白い。さすがは“吸血鬼狩り”と言ったところか』

金属がこすれる音があたりに响く。吸血鬼は尸人となった彼らから血を吸ったことで、昨晩より明らかに力を増している。先ほどボロ布のようになった右腕はすでに回复し、元の形状を取り戻していた。しかし“吸血鬼狩り”としての全力を出したロゼも、决して力负けはしていない。両者の力はやはり、拮抗していた。

「——うおおおおおおおッ！！」　

そこへ叫び声と共に现れたのは、军服を身にまとった青年——アルフォンスだ。不意をついたアルフォンスは、ロゼに渡された短剣で吸血鬼の横腹を斩りつける。　

　使い惯れない武器での攻撃は浅く、致命的なダメージにはならなかったが、均衡を破るには十分と言えた。　

生まれた隙を见逃さず、力任せに吸血鬼の剣を打ち払ったロゼは、流れるような连撃に繋げていく。空いた胸元から左腕に向かって一直线の横剃ぎが放たれると、吸血鬼の身体から血しぶきが上がった。

　そのとき、黒衣の内侧からなにかが千切れて飞んでいく——。

　吸血鬼は胸を押さえてうずくまったが、どうやら法剣は薄皮一枚を裂いただけだったらしい。凄まじい体捌きだ。再び间合いを取った吸血鬼は舌打ちをして、こちらに剣を构える２人を交互に见やった。

『……流石に分が悪いか。退かせてもらうぞ』

そう言って、その轮郭をぼやけさせると、一瞬でその身体を雾と化して、そこから消え去っていった。

「また逃げられてしまったか……」

　アルフォンスは短剣を懐にしまい、吸血鬼のいた位置を见つめる。ロゼは、そんなアルフォンスを见やると、ため息をついて呆れた。　

「……どうして来てしまわれたのですか？」

无表情のロゼにそんな言叶をかけられ、思わずカッとなって彼女の肩を掴むアルフォンス。

「どうしてだと？君のほうこそどうして一人で戦った！？危険すぎる！」

「危険……だったと本気で思いますか？」　

ロゼは无表情に——いや、今までに见せたことのない、圧倒的なまでに冷たいものを孕んだ——そんな颜で、アルフォンスを见つめた。

　アルフォンスはハッと我に返り、今のロゼの姿を改めて见直す。

　彼女は、真っ赤に染まっている。月明かりがそれを照らしてはっきりと确认できる。肩に置いていた手を离して掌を见ると、そこにもぬらりとしたものがついていた。　

ロゼ自身は伤一つ负っていなかった。それらは全て、尸人の中に残っていた浊った血液だ。

「私は仮にも“吸血鬼狩り”を名乗る身です。　

　今まで、どれだけの吸血鬼や尸人を葬ってきたか——あなたには想像もできないでしょう」

アルフォンスは确かに见ていた。容赦なく尸人たちを葬り去るロゼの姿を。人の形をした相手に容赦なく武器を振るい、鲜血と共に舞い、踊るように戦う彼女を。あきらかに次元が违っていた。あれは——化け物同士の戦いだ。それを肌で感じていたからこそ、あんなタイミングまで介入できずにいたのだ。　

　完全に言叶に诘まってしまったアルフォンスを见て、ふ、と冷たく笑うロゼ——

「——アル、あなたの协力はもはや必要ありません。

　どうぞ、全て忘れて元の日常にお戻りください」　

彼女はそう言って、最初に会ったときのように恭しくお辞仪をした。