카넬리아 (도서)/3권

제3회　시스터

열차는 안개 속을 달리고 있었다. 유리창에 붙은 물방울이 투명한 줄무늬가 되어 계속 같은 장소에서 몸부림을 치고 있었다.

차창에 이마를 붙인 채 손가락으로 티켓 2장을 문질렀다. 왕국까지는 철도로 아득히 먼 남부 국경도시까지 가서 비행선으로 갈아타야 한다. 양쪽 다 일등석의 티켓이었다. 객차는 거의 만석이었지만, 나의 옆에는 아무도 앉지 않았다. 어쩌면 미휴트 녀석이 일부러 비워둔 걸지도 모르겠다. 그렇다면 이번 일은 그에게도 꽤나 벌이가 큰 건수일 것이다.

「왕국에 가시는 건가요？」

열차로 절반쯤 지났을 때 들려오는 목소리에 얼굴을 들었다. 통로에는 한 여성이 서 있었다.

3중 버클로 코트의 앞을 고정시킨 그녀는 30대 중반쯤으로 보였다. 어깨에 닿을락 말락 하는 적갈색 머리에 같은 색의 눈동자. 혹시 괜찮을까요, 하며 쪼그려 앉아 비어 있는 내 옆자리를 가리키고 「저쪽은 담배 연기가 지독해서」라고 중얼거리며 보랏빛 공기가 떠도는 뒤쪽을 돌아봤다.

나는 말없이 발밑의 가방을 창문 쪽으로 끌어당겼다. 그녀는 인사를 하고 내 옆자리에 앉았다.

그녀는 자꾸 말을 걸어왔다. 나는 도력기에 관련된 일 때문에 왕국으로 향하는 중이라고 적당히 둘러댔다. 그 여성은 교회의 자선운동가로 국경 도시에 볼일이 있다고 했다.

「일단은 시스터라고 불리고 있어요」그녀는 검은 가죽 부츠에 싸인 다리를 꼬며 웃었다. 「별명이지만요」 하며 계속 이야기한다. 「시스터 카넬리아」. 그것이 그녀의 별명이었다.

나와 시스터 카넬리아는 잡담을 이어갔다. 태양이 서쪽으로 기울기 시작하고 열차가 숲을 지나자 주황빛이 객석 위를 비추었다. 석양을 받은 그녀의 갈색 눈동자가 붉게 물들었고 나는 홍요석(카넬리아)이라는 그 별명의 유래를 상상했다.

이윽고 열차는 완만하게 속도를 줄이기 시작해 짐을 가지러 그녀는 자리에 돌아갔다. 나는 이제 습관이 된 동작으로 가방과 마법(아츠)용 도력기를 조사했다. 종이에 싸인 물건도 허리에 묶어둔 도력기도 무사했다.

정시 도착을 알리는 여성의 목소리가 차내에 흘렀다. 목적지 날씨는 비. 좌석에서는 한숨이 터져 나왔다. 창문에 빗방울이 튀고, 검푸른 도시의 그림자가 순식간에 다가온다. 역의 신호등에 물방울이 부딪혀 빛을 발하고 있었다. 등골이 오싹해지는 금속음, 도력 기관의 추진력으로 오는 진동.

수화물을 조심하라는 방송이 들리자 승객들은 통로에 서기 시작한다. 빗속에서 수기를 흔드는 역원의 제복을 보면서 나도 가방을 안고 일어섰다.

통로에서 시스터 카넬리아와 마주쳤다. 한걸음 뒤로 물러서려고 했을 때, 돌연 그녀가 내 쪽으로 넘어졌다. 나의 어깨를 잡고 몸을 일으키며 그녀는 수줍게 웃으며 길을 양보해 주었다. 인사를 하고 먼저 통로로 나가는 나. 그 뒤에는 카넬리아가 간격을 두지 않고 따라왔다. 오른손이 멋대로 도력기가 있는 주머니에 들어간다. 그러나 평소의 금속 감촉은 그곳에 없었다.

순간 강렬한 힘이 나의 손목을 비틀어 올렸다. 금속이 튀어나오는 소리와 함께 나의 등, 정확히 신장 부근을 뾰족한 물건이 누르고 있었다.

「찾는 물건이라면 나한테 있어, 토비」

시스터 카넬리아의 입술이 나의 귀 뒤편에서 희미하게 움직였다.

「움직이거나 떠들지 마, 토비. 더 이상 따끔한 맛은 보고 싶지 않겠지？」

시스터는 손목을 누르는 각도를 약간 바꾸었다. 나의 눈동자 속에서 색 없는 불꽃이 튀었다.

Chapter 3 - Representative of the Septian Church

The train barreled on, almost flying through the thick veil of fog. Droplets of water splattered against the window glass, extending out like transparent veins, and continued to wriggle back and forth under the pressure of the swiftly passing wind.

Placing the temple of my head against the glass, I stared blankly down at the tickets in my hand and rubbed the two of them together between my fingers. I would be traveling by train to the border city, far south of its imperial cousin, and then to reach the Liberl Kingdom I would have to transfer to an airship. Both of my tickets were first-class-- but not the highest-end seats available.

The passenger car was nearly at full capacity, but for some peculiar reason, nobody had seated themselves in the space next to mine. As I mused about the empty seat, it occurred to me that Micht may have purchased the spot ahead of time, leaving it vacant on purpose. There was no doubt in my mind that he was being paid handsomely to make sure this job was done and done well.

'Will you be traveling to the Liberl Kingdom, sir?'

Right around the time my trip on the rails had passed its halfway mark, I was met with this sudden question, and set up with a start. My eyes searched for the one who asked it. There, standing in the isle, was a single woman with a radiant complexion, beaming down at me. She wore a coat with overlapping buckles secured slightly above her breast and appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Gingerly bending her knees and pointing her finger at the empty seat beside me, she asked, 'Do you mind?'

With a tilt of her head, she indicated the rear of the passenger car where swirling smoke saturated the air and softly muttered, 'The smell from the tobacco smoke is just dreadful.'

Wordlessly, I nodded and dragged my bag from its place on the floor, moving it over by the window to the opposite side of my feet. The woman expressed her thanks and delicately sat herself down in the seat next to mine.

For being a perfect stranger, she talked on endlessly, and I appropriately reciprocated the conversation by saying that I was on my way to the Liberl Kingdom on business as an orbment specialist. Her story was that she was on a mission of mercy for the church and had an errand to fulfill in the border city.

'Just so you know, people sometimes refer to me as 'Sister',' she went on. 'Of course, it's just a nickname.'

She recrossed her black leather boot-clad legs and let out a sort of suppressed titter from the back of her throat as she made mention of this. Sister Carnelia was her nickname.

We continued on in this fashion, subjecting ourselves to a variety of idle banter. And as the time drew on, the sun overhead began to dip in its arc, crossing the celestial meridian and descending into the west. Each time the moving train cleared a grove of trees, the entire vehicle-- passenger cars and all-- was bathed in a warm apricot hue, flooding into the cabins, creating a majestic spectacle. I gaped at the coruscating effect, and in doing so locked eyes with Sister Carnelia right at the moment the brilliance of the sinking western light seeped into her rich brown irises, causing them to give off an exquisite rubescent sparkle. The glimpse made me wonder if the origin of her nickname was somehow related to the color of her eyes being likened unto the luster of a polished carnelian stone.

The train gradually began to decelerate, and Sister Carnelia returned to her original seat in order to collect her bags. As a matter of habit, I checked my bag and orbment and found both the junk paper-covered package and the magical device fastened into my trousers' inner pocket by a series of chain stitches-- exactly where and how I'd left it.

A woman's voice came over the intercom system announcing that the train would be arriving on schedule and that rainy weather was to be expected at our destination. At the conclusion of the announcements, a number of disappointed sighs could be heard coming from along the rows of seats. Raindrops pattered against the windows outside as the looming silhouette of the overcast city came into view. The station's signal lamp emitted an angular light which was scattered with a refractive effect by the falling droplets of water. Then came a spine-chilling metallic sound followed by the jolt of the orbal engine's reversing thrust as the locomotive at the front of the train lurched to a halt.

Over the loudspeaker came another announcement asking passengers to ensure that they did not leave their baggage behind. And with that, several people stood up and crowded into the aisle. Watching a station worker in uniform as he waved a small flag amidst the falling rain, I picked up my bag and rose to my feet. I crossed paths with Sister Carnelia as I attempted to step into the aisle, but when she tried to step aside and allow me room to pass, she suddenly tripped and fell forward. Grabbing onto my shoulder for support, she picked herself up and, with an embarrassed smile, let me by. I gave her a short bow in line with general etiquette practices, then headed for the exit ahead of her. Following my lead, Sister Carnelia shuffled along closely behind me-- so close, in fact, that it felt as if she would step on my heels.

Something about it just didn't feel right.

Instinctively sliding my right hand into my pocket, I searched for my orbment, but the brass feeling I had grown accustomed to was nowhere to be felt.

In an instant, I felt my arm being twisted behind my back by someone or something with incredible strength. The sleek sound of a blade being unsheathed and then a warning prick of the tip at my back indicated the seriousness of the situation.

'I have what you're looking for, Toby,' whispered Sister Carnelia in an almost inaudible tone, her lips barely moving just behind my right ear. 'Let's not try anything either, shall we? I'd hate to see your afternoon spoiled any more than it's going to be.' And to show that she meant business, Sister Carnelia slightly altered the angle of her grip on my wrist, causing an explosion of agony that sent sparks flashing behind my eyes.

第３回　シスター

列車は霧の中を飛ぶように走っていた。窓ガラスに吹き寄せられた水滴が透明なすじになって、いつまでも同じところで身をくねらせ続けている。

車窓に額をくっつけたまま、指で２枚のチケットをこすり合わせた。帝都から鉄道ではるか南部の国境の都市へ、王国に行くにはそこから飛行船に乗り換えることになる。券はどちらも１等旅客の指定だ。客車はほぼ満席だったが、僕の隣には誰も座らなかった。もしかしたらミヒュトのやつがわざわざ空けたのかも知れない。だとすれば、今度の仕事はやつにとってもよほど割りが良いに違いない。「王国へ行かれるんですか？」

鉄路の旅も半ばを過ぎた頃、突然声をかけられて僕は顔を上げた。通路に１人のご婦人が立っていた。

３重のバックルでコートの胸元を留めたその女は、３０代の半ばくらいに見えた。わずかに肩にかかるほどの薄茶色の髪に、同じく茶色の瞳。よろしいですかと膝を折って僕の隣の空席を指し、「あちらは煙草の煙がひどくて」そう呟きながら、紫色の空気が漂う後ろの方へと視線を泳がせる。

僕は黙ってうなずき、足元のバッグを窓側に引き寄せた。女は礼を言い、隣の席に腰を下ろした。

彼女はしきりに話しかけてきた。僕は導力器関係の仕事で王国に向かう途中だということにして、適当に話を合わせた。彼女の方は教会の慈善運動とかで、国境の都市に用事があるとのことだった。「一応、シスターって呼ばれているんですよ」黒い革のブーツに包まれた足を組みかえると、女は喉の奥で笑い、「あだ名ですけどね」と続けた。「シスター・カーネリア」それが彼女のあだ名だった。

そのまま僕とシスター・カーネリアはしばらく世間話を続けた。陽は西に傾き始め、木立を抜けるたび、オレンジ色の光が客席の上をなめていった。西日を浴びて彼女の茶けた瞳は赤い耀きを放ち、僕は紅耀石(カーネリア)に通じるそのあだ名の由来を想像した。

やがて列車はゆるやかに速度を落とし始め、荷物を取りに彼女は席へ戻った。僕はもう習慣になった動作でバッグと魔法(アーツ)用の導力器(オーブメント)を調べたが、反(ほ)故(ご)紙の包みも、編み鎖で腰に留めてある導力器も、どっちも無事だった。

定刻通りの到着を告げる女性の声が車内に流れた。到着地の天候は雨。座席の間からいくつかのため息がもれた。ぼつぼつと窓に雨粒が弾け、青黒い町の影が見る間に迫ってくる。駅の信号灯が、水滴に散乱して角ばった光を放っていた。背筋の寒くなる金属音、そして導力機関の推力が反転する衝撃。

手荷物への注意を呼びかけるアナウンスが入って、乗客がばらばらと通路に立つ。雨の中で手旗を振る駅員の制服を見ながら、僕もバッグを抱えて立ち上がった。

通路でシスター・カーネリアと行き合った。１歩引こうとしたとき、突然彼女がつまずいたようにこちらに倒れかかってきた。僕の肩につかまって体を起こすと、彼女は照れ笑いを浮かべて道をゆずってくれた。会釈をして先に通路へ出る僕。その後からカーネリアがほとんど間を置かず、ぴったりとついてきた。嫌な感じがした。右手が勝手に導力器を求めてポケットへ滑り込む。だが、いつもの真鍮の手触りは、そこになかった。

とたんに、強烈な力が僕の手首をねじ上げた。バチンと勢い良く金属の飛び出る音。僕の背中、ちょうど腎臓のあたりに、尖ったものが押し付けられる。「探し物なら預かってるわよ、トビー」

シスター・カーネリアの唇が、僕の耳の裏側でかすかに動いた。「動いたり騒いだりしないでね、トビー。

これ以上、痛い目に遭いたくないでしょう？」

シスターは手首を押さえる角度をわずかに変化させた。僕の瞳の奥で、色のない火花が散った。