붉은 달의 로제/14권

제14회　아침 해 저편으로

잠시 후, 알폰스는 조용해진 지하묘소의 중앙에서 눈을 떴다. 처음으로 보인 것은 자신을 내려다 보고 있던 로제의 상냥한 미소. 그녀에게서 진홍색 빛깔은 사라져 있었다. 아무래도 법술의 치유 능력을 써 준 모양이다. 상처가 상처인지라 완치까지는 되지 않았지만, 일어설 정도는 되는 것 같았다.

옆에는 루카가 잠들어 있었다. 외상은 없었지만 엘로이에게 유괴당하고 갈라드의 주술에 걸렸던 그녀도 체력이 많이 소진된 상태였다.

「……아저씨는, 어떻게 됐어？」

알폰스의 의식은 로제와 갈라드가 교차한 시점에서 사라졌었다. 비틀비틀 일어서며 주위를 둘러보는 그에게 로제는 턱으로 한쪽을 가리켰다. 조금 떨어진 곳에 가슴에서부터 윗부분까지밖에 신체가 남지 않은 갈라드가 쓰러져 있었다.

「알, 이냐─」

그는 아직 살아 있었다. 엄청난 생명력을 가진 흡혈귀였지만 이런 모습으로도 여전히 살아 있다는 것에 알폰스는 동정심을 느낄 수밖에 없었다.

「만에 하나라도 살아날 가능성은 없습니다만」

로제는 단언하더니 천천히 권총에 탄환을 장착하고 갈라드의 미간에 총구를 겨누었다. 알폰스가 눈을 뜰 때까지 숨통을 끊지 않을 생각이었던 것 같다.

「당신이 마지막을 봐야 한다고 생각했거든요」

「그런, 가……」

방아쇠에 점점 힘이 들어갔다. 갈라드는 모든 것을 포기한 모습으로 조용히 눈을 내리떴다. 그리고 알폰스는, 방아쇠를 당기는 로제를 제지했다. 조금 놀란 듯한 로제를 보며, 그는 품에서 처음에 로제에게서 받았던 단검을 꺼냈다.

「나한테 맡겨줄 수 있을까」

「……복수는 자신의 손으로, 하겠다는 건가」

웃으며 말한 것은 갈라드였다.

「어리석군, 알. 일부러 자신의 손을 더럽힐 필요도 없다. 인간은 하찮은 일에 구속되지. 덕분에 조종하기 쉽지만」

「닥쳐요」

아직도 오만한 태도를 보이는 갈라드에게 다시 총을 겨누는 로제. 알폰스는 다시 로제를 제지하고 조용히 고개를 저었다.

「나는 당신을 아버지처럼 생각했어. 당신이 흑막이었다고는 하지만, 그것은 결코 변하지 않아. 오히려 감사까지 하고 있어. 지금도」

한순간 놀란 표정을 짓는 갈라드. 로제도 마찬가지였다.

「그러니까, 이건…… 의식이야. 당신과 결별하고, 내일을 보기 위한」

「크크큭…… 크하하하하하하……！！！」

갈라드는 웃었다. 이젠 웃을 수밖에 없었다.

알폰스는 그런 그를 보며 조금 쓸쓸한 표정을 짓고는, 단검을 조용히 내리쳤다. 로제는 그 모습을 가만히 지켜보고 있었다.

◇

부츠 소리만이 정적에 싸인 공간에 울렸다. 로제를 선두로, 셋은 어두운 지하도의 길을 거슬러 올라가고 있었다. 알폰스의 등에는 루카가 아직도 정신을 잃은 채 업혀 있었다.

도중에 언데드로 변한 시체를 볼 때마다 알폰스는 멈춰서서 눈을 감고 명복을 빌었다. 로제에 말에 의하면 이후 교회에서 그들의 장례를 정성들여 치른다고 한다. 흡혈귀나 언데드라는 존재는 절대 공적으로 공개될 일이 없을 것이며 이번 사건도 어둠 속에 조용히 묻힐 것이라고 한다.

횃불들이 걸려있던 통로를 지나 밖의 빛이 비춰 오는 지점에서 로제가 멈추어 섰다. 뒤에 있던 알폰스는 부딪힐 뻔 하다가 루카를 고쳐 업었다.

「왜…… 왜 그래？」

「…또 하나, 당신에게 말하지 않은 것이 있습니다」

뒤돌아본 로제는 알폰스에게 미안해하는 듯한 표정을 짓고 있었다. 로제는 머뭇거리며, 말을 잇지 못하고 있었다.

알폰스가 먼저 말했다.

「당신의 과거에 희생시켜 버린 협력자. 그게 나의 부모님이었다는 이야기？」

「눈치 채고 계셨나요……」

로제도 갈라드의 정체를 파악할 때까지는 모르고 있었지만, 알폰스의 부모 사건은 이번 사건에 너무나도 밀접하게 관련되어 있었다. 십수년 전, 알폰스의 아버지는 “흡혈귀 사냥꾼”인 로제와 우연히 만났다. 그리고 흡혈귀를 쫓는 그 사정을 알고 로제에게 협력한 것이다. 그는 흡혈귀의 정체, 즉 그의 친구였던 갈라드에게 도달하기 직전까지 조사를 진행했는데…… 그 결과, 정체를 파악하기 직전에 갈라드에게 들키고 로제에게 자세한 정보를 전달하지도 못한 채 살해당했던 것이다.

「……하지만 어떻게 그게 저라는 걸 알았죠？ 다른 “흡혈귀 사냥꾼”이었을 수도 있지 않습니까」

「아까 떠올랐어. 나는 당신과 그때 만난 적이 있으니까」

알폰스의 아버지는 가족에게 위험이 미칠 가능성을 항상 걱정했었다. 그리고 흡혈귀 조사 중에는 로제에게 자기 아들의 경호를 부탁했었다. 어린 알폰스를. 가끔 집에 와서 자신을 데리고 놀러 나가 주었던 기억 속 여성, 그것이 로제였다는 것을 알폰스는 마침내 기억해냈다. 그녀도 조용히 긍정했다.

「따지고 보면 저 때문에 모두 휘말린 겁니다. 원래대로라면 저는 혼자서 싸워야 했습니다. 하지만 당신 아버지의 뜻을 거절하지 못했습니다. 그것이 최악의 결과를 초래했는데, 이번에 당신의 뜻도 거절하지 못했습니다」

로제는 수십 년에 걸쳐 동족과의 고독한 싸움에 몸을 던져왔다. 그녀는 어느새, 무의식 중에 고독에서 벗어나고 싶다고 생각하게 되었으리라. 그래서 알폰스나 그의 부친이 알폰스와 그의 아버지가 협력하겠다고 했을 때 그녀는 구원의 손길이 찾아온 듯한 느낌에 거절하지 못한 것이다.

「피도…… 죽을 때까지 마시지 않을 작정이었습니다. 제가 그들(갈라드)같은 괴물이라는 걸 인정하기 싫었습니다. 시간이 흐를수록 힘은 약해져 가지만, 그래도 저는──」

로제는 자신의 손바닥을 경멸하듯이 바라보더니, 조소했다.

「……후후, 그런 금기를 스스로 파기하다니, 아이러니하네요. 저도, 결국은 “흡혈귀”에 불과한 걸지도 모릅니다……」

그녀가 품은 “고독”을 알폰스는 절실하게 이해하고 있었다.

그래서, 「신경 쓰지 마」하고 미소지으며 대답했다.

「나를 구해주기 위해서였잖아？ 그 시점에서 당신은 다른 흡혈귀와는 달라. 죽은 아버지도 어머니도, 당신을 원망하지 않을 거야. 당신 덕분에 난 살아남을 수 있었어. 당신이 있었기에, 이번 사건을 해결할 수 있었어」

「──────」

「그러니까, 고마워. 이 말을 꼭 하고 싶었어」

로제는 아무런 대답도 하지 않은 채 알폰스에게서 등을 돌렸다. 그녀는 흡혈귀인 자신의 존재를 처음으로 스스로 받아들일 수 있었던 것 같았다. 그녀의 마음에 박혀 있던 가시들이 조금씩 녹기 시작했다.

알폰스는 조용히 어깨를 떠는 그녀의 얼굴을 보지 않도록 앞을 본 채 발걸음을 옮겼다.

◇

그 후 둘은 한동안 아무 말 없이 걸었다. 지하도를 비추는 빛이 서서히 강해졌고, 이윽고 헤임달항으로 나가는 입구는 출입구가 보였다. 불길했던 붉은 달은 없었다. 대신 눈이 부실 정도로 새하얀 아침 해가 얼굴을 내밀고 있었다.

「그럼, 저는 이만」

로제는 가볍게 인사했다. 흡혈귀의 그림자는 제도에서 사라지고, 그녀의 임무는 완수되었다. 갑작스런 이별 통보였지만 알폰스는 「그래」하고 고개를 끄덕이며 대답했다.

「다음은 어디로 가지？」

「모르겠습니다」

살짝 고개를 젓는 로제. 흡혈귀의 냄새를 쫓아 어딘가로. 그리고, 새로운 사투에 몸을 던지리라. 그것이 흡혈귀 사냥꾼 으로서의, “진조”로서의 그녀의 사명이기에.

「일이 다 끝나면…… 또 들러」

「네？」

이미 발걸음을 옮기기 시작한 로제는 그 말에 뒤돌아보았다.

「나는 여기서 기다리고 있을 테니까」

어느 정도의 시간이 걸릴지 상상할 수도 없는 사명이었다. 하지만 알폰스는 그 말을 건넸다. “여기에 돌아올 곳이 있어”라고. 그녀를 고독하게 만들지는 않겠다는, 그 말에 거짓은 없다고.

「…네……！」

로제는 복받쳐오는 기쁨을 숨기지 못하고 방긋 웃으며 대답했다. 그리고 그대로 밝은 빛 속으로 걸어 나갔다. 이제 뒤돌아 보지 않았다.

알폰스의 등에 업힌 루카는 언제부턴가 눈을 뜨고 있었다. 그녀는 조금 질투심을 느끼면서도 둘의 이별에 방해가 되지 않도록 자는 척을 하고 있었다.

이렇게 제도를 공포에 빠트린 『흡혈귀 사건』은 사람들 모르게 조용히 막을 내렸다.

범인이 잡히는 일 없이 단지 “끝난” 이 사건은 점점 사람들 사이에서 잊혀져 갈 것이다. 도시괴담처럼, 미궁에 빠진 사건이라 기록되며. 하지만 알폰스는 절대 잊지 않을 것이다. 이번 사건으로 자신이 잃은 소중한 것들을. 그리고 그 대신 얻은 소중한 인연을.

그리고 그는 강하게 기원했다. 깊은 고독과 무거운 운명을 짊어진 흡혈귀인 그녀에게 언젠가 평안이 찾아오기를.

「아침은 틀림없이 올 거야. 분명, 네게도……」

로제가 새하얀 아침 해 속으로 사라져 가는 모습을 알폰스는 마지막까지 조용히 배웅했다.

＜END＞

Finale - A New Dawn

When Alphonse awoke, he found himself in the center of the catacomb. No sounds stirred the musty air.

The first thing he saw as his eyes opened was the gentle smile of Rose as she looked down at him. She was no longer surrounded by the crimson glow that he had witnessed earlier. She seemed to have healed him, as well. He could hardly pretend to be back at full strength, but he was at the very least now capable of moving.

Next to him lay Lucca, fast asleep. She had no visible wounds, but she was clearly exhausted from all of the night's events. She had been through quite an ordeal, after all.

'...What happened to Garrard?'

Alphonse had lost consciousness around when he and Rose had clashed in the air, so he hadn't witnessed any of the aftermath. Rising shakily to his feet, he saw Rose indicate a point a short distance away by turning her head in that direction. There, he saw the body of Garrard, or at least part of it; everything below his chest had vanished.

'Al...'

His voice was weak, but somehow he was still alive. Looking at him, Alphonse couldn't help but feel pity. How anything could survive in such a state, he didn't know, but it was a testament to the incredible powers of the vampire race that he still drew breath. It was not a state that would last, however. 

'He is beyond saving,' Rose said with certainty.

She slowly loaded a bullet into her pistol and pointed it at Garrard's temple. It seemed as though she had deliberately waited until Alphonse awoke before finishing him off.

'But I thought it best to wait so that you could witness this yourself.' 

Alphonse looked from the gun to Garrard. 'Oh... Right...'

She gently began to squeeze her finger against the trigger. Garrard cast his eyes downward, a look of acceptance on his face. But before she could pull it completely, Alphonse stopped her.

Looking at her bewildered expression, he pulled out from his uniform the silver short sword that she had originally given to him.

'Let me do it.'

'...So you want to carry out your revenge yourself, do you?' sneered Garrard in response. 'What a fool you are. You have no reason to dirty your own hands. Why do you humans have to make such a big deal out of such trivial things? That's what makes you so easy to manipulate.' 

'Silence,' Rose said, raising her gun a second time.

Alphonse shook his head at her and turned to Garrard.

'I've always thought of you as a father. Maybe it was all a lie, maybe you had ulterior motives for everything you did, but I still think of you like a parent, even now. And I'm grateful for all that you did for me.' 

A look of shock flashed across Garrard's face. Rose appeared stunned as well.

Alphonse continued. 'So I'm not doing this for revenge. I'm doing this so that I can move on, and put all of this in the past, and start a new life.'

'Heheh...hahahahahaha!'

Alphonse looked down at the man...creature, who had cared for him, raised him, and who he had thought loved him. With an ache in his heart, he swung the sword. Rose watched on in silence. 

The only sound that broke the still quiet of the underground was the steady tread of their boots against the slimy cobblestones. Together, Rose and Alphonse trekked back through the gloomy passage towards the surface with Rose leading the way. On Alphonse's back was Lucca, still oblivious to the world. Whenever they came across the corpse of one of the innocents who had been turned into a ghoul, he stopped, closed their eyes and prayed for them. Rose had told him that the church would be sending people to collect their bodies and give them a full burial later. As the existence of vampires and ghouls was not to be made public, all of what happened there would be buried. The world would never know the truth behind the Vampire Murders.

They made their way through the torch-lit channel, and eventually reached the area near the entrance where natural light now shone through. Rose stopped so suddenly that Alphonse almost walked into her.

'Whoa... What's wrong?' he asked, readjusting Lucca's position on his back. 

Rose hesitated. 'There's...actually one more thing that I ought to tell you.'

She turned to him, looking heavily apologetic. Her words were followed by another period of silence, as if she was having trouble mustering the courage to tell him the truth.

Realizing this, Alphonse decided to say it for her. 'Is this about how the person who died trying to help you was my father?'

'...So you realized...'

Rose herself hadn't made the connection until she discovered Garrard's true identity. But the two cases were so closely connected that she had eventually understood. 

It had been over a decade ago that Alphonse's father had coincidentally come to meet the vampire hunter, Rose. He found out that she was pursuing vampires, and they had agreed to work together to the same end. Eventually, he had been but one step away from discovering the identity of the nearby vampire - in other words, his friend Garrard - but that was when Garrard had realized that he was in danger of being found out, and killed him before he had the chance to share his findings with her. 

'...But how did you know that was me? You have no way of knowing how many other vampire hunters may be out there, after all.' 

Alphonse gave her a sheepish smile. 'During the fight earlier, I finally remembered meeting you back then.'

Alphonse's father had always been worried about the possibility that his family might be harmed because of his research. That was why he had come to ask Rose to watch over his child whenever he was investigating. It had taken him a long time to recall the girl who had played with him all those summers ago, but Alphonse had finally placed that familiar, gentle smile. 

She nodded, admitting the truth to him. '...I was the one responsible for getting your father involved in this to begin with. I should have searched for and fought the vampire by myself. And yet, I wasn't able to refuse his offer...and despite that weakness  resulting in the death of him and his wife, I wasn't  able to refuse your offer this time, either...'

Rose had been fighting a solitary battle against her own race for decades. It wasn't difficult to imagine her eventually hoping unconsciously that someone, anyone, would hold out a hand and help her. That was why when Alphonse and his father had done just that, she couldn't bring herself to turn them down. 

'I never intended to drink blood again, either... I didn't want to admit that I was a monster just like him, and just like the other vampires. I grew weaker by the year as a result, but still, I was determined not to do it.'

A look of disgust crossed her face.

'...And again, I ended up breaking my own vow and drinking it, regardless. Perhaps I'm no different from the rest of them, after all.' 

Alphonse knew the solitude she had endured better than anyone else, so he replied with a smile.

'Don't worry about it,' he said. 'You did it to save me, didn't you? That alone makes you different from other vampires. I'm sure my parents would be grateful for all that you've done. If not for you, I would've been killed. And if not for you, we wouldn't have been able to solve the murders here, either.'

'...'

'So, thank you.'

Unable to reply in the face of his warm words, Rose turned away from him. For the first time, she felt as though she could accept herself. The thorns which had been constricting her heart receded as if melting away. 

Alphonse began walking again, his eyes pointed straight ahead, tactfully avoiding looking at Rose's face while she stood still, her shoulders quivering. 

After that, neither of them said another word to the other as they made their way to the exit. The natural light peeking into the tunnel here and there gradually grew brighter, and eventually the gate came into view. 

Emerging entirely from the underground, they could see that the eerie red moon no longer hung in the sky. In its place was the sun, burning the morning haze away and bathing the city in dazzlingly bright sunlight.

'Well, this is where I must take my leave,' Rose  said, giving Alphonse a slight bow. The vampire's presence gone from the city, Rose's mission was now over, and she had no reason to remain. Much as Alphonse wished she could stay longer, he nodded, responding with a simple 'All right.' 

'Where will you go next?' he asked.

Rose shook her head. 'I don't know,' she replied.

Wherever she went, she would no doubt be pursuing yet another vampire. And there would also be no doubt that she would find herself fighting against it in a battle to the death, too. That was her duty as a vampire hunter and as a True Ancestor.

'When you've done everything that you need to do, come back here.'

'...What?' 

Rose had already walked a short distance ahead of him, but she turned around again at his words.

'I'll always be waiting here for you,' he said.

Alphonse had no idea how long it would take for her to fulfill the duty that she had sworn to see to the end. But it didn't matter. He wanted her to know that there would always be a place for her to return to. And as long as that was the case, she would never be alone again.

'Thank you!'

Rose smiled, unable to conceal the happiness welling up within her. Alphonse returned the smile, and once more she turned, striding away into the brilliant sunlight. She didn't turn around again. 

On Alphonse's back, Lucca had awoken, and had been awake for some time. She couldn't help but feel a little jealous at their exchange, but she had decided to feign being asleep so as to not interrupt their farewells.

Thus, the Vampire Murders that had terrorized the people of Heimdallr silently came to an end, no one the wiser as to the culprit or conclusion of the whole affair. The criminal dead, the murders would  simply stop and the case itself would be doomed to be left unsolved for all eternity. No doubt the people of the city would one day forget that they had ever happened at all, or they would live on as a kind of urban legend, no one believing such stories could possibly be true. 

But Alphonse would always remember what had happened. He would never forget the case where he had lost several people who were deeply important to him. He would also never forget that he had found someone else important to him during it all. And he prayed that one day in the future, she would be able to find peace, freed from the deep solitude and arduous duty that burdened her. 

'Every dark night is followed by a bright new dawn,' he murmured. 'So I'm sure that one day a new dawn will come to you, too.'

Alphonse stood still, watching silently as Rose walked off into the distance and vanished into the morning sun.

第14回　朝日の向こうへ

　アルフォンスは、静かになった地下墓所の中央で目を覚ました。

　最初に见えたのは、自分を覗き込むロゼの优しい微笑み。　

　彼女からはすでに真红の辉きは失せていた。　

　どうやら法术による治愈をやってくれていたらしい。さすがに全快とまではいかなかったが、なんとか立ち上がることはできそうだ。　

　隣には、ルッカが寝かされていた。外伤はなかったものの、エルロイに诱拐され、ガラードによって术をかけられた彼女も著しく体力を消耗していた。　

「……おじさんは、どうなった？」

アルフォンスの意识はロゼとガラードが交错したあたりで途绝えていた。よろよろと立ち上がって辺りを见回す彼に、ロゼは颚で一点を指し示す。　

　少し离れたところに、胸から上だけとなったガラードが倒れていた。

「アル、か——」彼はまだ生きていた。

凄まじい生命力を持つ吸血鬼だったが、こんな姿でなお生き永らえていることに、アルフォンスは怜れみを感じずにはいられない。

「もはや助かることは万に一つもありませんが」とロゼは断じる。

　そして、おもむろに拳铳に弾をこめると、ガラードの眉间に铳口を向けた。どうやら、アルフォンスが目覚めるまでは止めを刺さないつもりだったらしい。　

「あなたは见届けるべきだと思いましたから」　

「そう、か……」

　引き金に徐々に力が込められる。

　ガラードは、観念した様子で静かに目を伏せる。　

アルフォンスは——引き金を引くロゼの指を制止した。

　少しだけ惊いたロゼを见て、彼は懐から、最初にロゼに渡された银の短剣を取り出した。

「俺に、やらせてほしい」

「……复讐は己の手で、というわけか」

　嘲るように言ったのは、ガラードだ。

「愚かだな、アル。わざわざ自分の手を汚すこともあるまい。

　人间とは実に下らんことに拘る。だからこそ、御しやすい」

「黙りなさい」　

なおも高慢な态度を崩さないガラードに、改めて铳口を向けるロゼ。アルフォンスは再びそれを止めると、静かに首を振って言う。

「——俺は、あなたを父のように思っていた。　

　暗い思惑があったとはいえ、それは决して変わらない。

　感谢すらしている、今も」　

　それを闻いて、一瞬惊いた颜を见せるガラード。隣にいたロゼも同様だ。

「だから、これは——仪式なんだ。

　あなたと决别して、明日を见るための」　

「クク……カハハハハハハハ……！！」

　ガラードは笑った。もはや、笑うことしかしなかった。

アルフォンスは、そんな彼を见て、少し寂しそうな颜をしてから——短剣を、静かに振り下ろした。ロゼは、その様子をじっと见守っていた。

　ブーツの足音だけが、静寂な空间に响く。

　ロゼが先导する形で、薄暗い地下道の道を逆に辿っていくアルフォンス。彼の背には、いまだ気を失ったままのルッカが背负われている。　

道中、尸人と化していた遗体を见かけるたびにアルフォンスは立ち止まり、瞑目してその冥福を祈った。ロゼによれば、この后教会の手が入って彼らは手厚く葬られることになるとのことだ。吸血鬼や尸人という存在は决して公になることはなく、今回の事件も暗に葬られていくという。

　松明のあった通路を抜け、外の光が差し込んできた辺りでロゼが立ち止まる。后ろについていたアルフォンスはぶつかりそうになってしまう。　

「ととっ……どうした？」そう言ってルッカを背负い直す。　

「——もう一つ、あなたに言っていないことがあるのです」　

振り向いたロゼは、申し訳なさそうな表情をしていた。少しだけ间があいたが、ロゼは中々话题を切り出さなかった。

　だから、アルフォンスは自らそれを引き継いだ。　

「君が过去、犠牲にしてしまった协力者——

　それが、俺の両亲だったって话か？」

「——気づいて、いたのですか……」　

　ロゼも、ガラードの正体が分かるまでは気づかずにいたが——

　アルフォンスの両亲の事件は、今回の事件にあまりに密接に関系していた。

十数年前、アルフォンスの父は“吸血鬼狩り”ロゼと偶然に出会っていた。そして、吸血鬼を追う彼女の事情を知り、ロゼに协力することにしたのだ。彼は、あと一歩で吸血鬼の正体——すなわち、彼の友人であったガラードに辿りつくところまで调査を进めたが……

　结果、その寸前にガラードに察知されてしまい、ロゼに详しい情报を伝える间もなく杀されてしまったのだった。

「……でも、どうしてそれが私だと感づかれたのですか？

　他に“吸血鬼狩り”がいる可能性もあったでしょう」　

「さっき、思い出したんだ——俺と君はその时、出会っていた」

アルフォンスの父は家族に危険が及ぶ可能性を常に心配していた。そこで、吸血鬼の调査中はロゼに我が子の警护を頼んでいたのだ。　

幼き日のアルフォンスを、度々游びに连れ出していた记忆の女性——それこそが、ロゼだったことをアルフォンスはようやく思い出した。彼女も、それを认めて静かに肯定する。

「……元はといえば私が巻き込んでしまったのです。

　本当なら私は一人で戦わなくてはなりませんでした。　

　なのに、私はあなたの父上の申し出を断りませんでした。　

　それが最悪の结果を招いたというのに、　

　今回のあなたの申し出も断りきれませんでした」　

ロゼは何十年にも渡って、同族との孤独な戦いに身を投じてきた。彼女はいつしか、无意识にそこから救われたいと思うようになっていたのだろう。

　だから、アルフォンスや彼の父が协力を申し出た时、彼女は救いの手を差し伸べられたように感じて、断れなかったのだ。

「血も……死ぬまで饮まないつもりでした。

　自分が、｜彼ら《ガラード》のような怪物だと认めたくなかったんです。　

　年々力は弱っていきますが、それでも私は——」　

　ロゼは自分の掌を忌まわしげに眺めながら、自嘲する。

「……ふふ、その禁を自分で破ってしまうなんて、皮肉なものです。

　结局私も、ただの“吸血鬼”でしかないのかもしれません……」　

彼女の抱える“孤独”をアルフォンスは痛いほど理解していた。だから——「気にするな」と、微笑みながら答えた。

「俺を、助けてくれるためだったんだろう？

　その时点で君は、他の吸血鬼とは违うはずだ。

　死んだ父さんも母さんも、君を恨んだりはしない。

　君のおかげで、俺は杀されずに済んだ。　

　君がいたから、今回の事件を解决できたんだ」

「——————」

「だから、礼を言わせてくれ——ありがとう」　

　ロゼは、何も返事をせずにアルフォンスから颜を背けた。彼女は、吸血鬼である自分を初めて受け入れることができた気がした。彼女の心に、棘のように刺さっていたものがゆっくりと溶けていく。

アルフォンスは、静かに肩を震わせる彼女の颜を见ないように、前を见たまま歩みを进めた。

　それから２人はしばらく无言で歩いた。地下道を照らす光が徐々に强まり、やがて、ようやくヘイルダム港に続く出入り口から外に出た。　

不気味な赤い月はすでにない。代わりに眩いほどに白い朝日が颜を出していた。

「——それでは、私は、これで」　

　ロゼは小さく会釈をする。吸血鬼の影は帝都から消え、彼女の任务は完了した。早すぎる别れの挨拶だったが、アルフォンスは「そうか」と颔いて答えた。「次は、どこに行くんだ？」

「分かりません」小さく首を振るロゼ。

再び吸血鬼の匂いを追って、何処かへ。そして、新たな死闘へと身を投じていくのだろう。それが吸血鬼狩りとしての、“真祖”としての彼女の使命だ。　

「全部终わったら……また、来るといい」　

「えっ」

すでに歩き出していたロゼが、アルフォンスの言叶に振り向く。

「俺はここで待っている」

どれほどの时间を要する使命であるかは、想像もつかない。だがアルフォンスはその言叶をかけた——“ここに、帰る场所がある”と。「彼女を孤独にはさせない」——その言叶に伪りはないと。

「——はい——！」　

　ロゼは、涌き上がる嬉しさを隠すこともせず、微笑んでそれに答えた。そして、そのまま阳光の中へと歩き出した。もう、振り返らなかった。　

アルフォンスの背中で、ルッカはいつの间にか目を覚ましていた。彼女は少しだけ嫉妬心を覚えながらも、２人の别れを邪魔しないように寝たふりを続けていた。

——こうして、帝都を恐怖に陥れた『吸血鬼事件』は、人知れず静かに幕を闭じたのだった。

犯人が捕まえられることもなく、ただ“终わった”この事件は、やがて人々の间から忘れ去られていくのだろう。都市伝说じみた、ある未解决事件の记录として。

　だが、アルフォンスは决して忘れないだろう。いくつもの大切なものが失われたことを。その代わりに、新たな绊を手にしたことを。

　そして、彼は强く愿った。　

深い孤独と重い使命を背负った吸血鬼の彼女に、いつの日か安らぎがもたらされんことを。

「——朝は必ず来る。きっと、君にも——」

ロゼが真っ白な朝日の中に消えて行くのを、アルフォンスは最后まで、静かに见送っていた。