다시 한 번 얀미르의 손이 탑의 끄트머리를 움켜쥐는데는 
처녀의 생각대로 그리 오랜 시간이 걸리지 않았다.

다 닳아버린 육과 혼을 놓지 않으려고 애쓰면서
그는 말을 뱉었다.


                                        [..네겐 마지막이 될 부탁이다,
                                       기사의 명예인 건틀렛을 돌려다오.]


탑의 처녀는 아무 말 없이 꾸러미를 풀어 
그의 것이었던 물건을 돌려주었다.

 
                                      [그런 장난질에 속지만 않았어도..!]


그는 그것을 받자마자 살펴보는 일도 없이 탑의 구석에 내동댕이쳤다.

쩡-하는 금속성의 울림이 
탑의 정상을 덮고 지나간다.


이제는 다 낡아빠진 가죽 검집에서 천천히 검을 뽑아내는 얀미르.
탑의 처녀는 무릎을 꿇고 조용히 그를 응시했다.

맹약의 의지가 얀미르에게 명한다,
이제 그녀의 가슴에 검끝을 겨누라고.


                                   [..넌 어떻게든 내 손에 죽는 길을 택했어, 왜지?]


맹약의 의지가 그녀에게 명한다,
너를 결코 이해할 수 없는 이 남자에게 목숨을 바쳐
너의 사랑을 증명하라고.


                                 "..당신은 어떻게 해도 이해할 수 없을 거예요.
                                      이것만이 내가 바라던 결말이었다는 걸."

이제 그대로 쑤셔넣어라.
똑바로, 어긋날 리는 없어.


                                     [나를 최고의 기사로 만들었던 그 맹약이 
                               이제는 거꾸로 나를 둘도없는 멍청이로 만들어 버렸어.

                                         너를 얼마나 증오했는지 아나?

                                       아래로 내려가든, 도망치든, 아니면
                               목숨을 포기하는 한이 있어도 네가 예상하지 못하는,
                            어떻게든 너를 당황하고 울부짖게 할 그런 결말을 보이고 싶었어!]


이제 똑바로 그의 무기를 맞아들여라,
너의 사랑에 대한 답이 그의 경멸임을 
이 심장이 똑똑히 새길 수 있게.

                                    "알아요, 당신은 탑의 등정을 포기할 수도 
                                     스스로 목숨을 끊는 것도 할 수 없었겠죠.
                                            
                                             -나를 죽이지 못했으니까." 


                                           [그래, 그래서 더 알 수 없었어!

                                         왜 처음부터 내게 접근했던 건지, 
                                    왜 내가 이루어 줄 수 없는 소원을 말했던 건지,
                                    왜 내가 너를 죽이지 않으면 안되게끔 행동한 건지! 

                                ..하지만 그게 무슨 소용이야, 내 혼과 육체는 전부 마모됐다.
                                    이젠 다시 탑을 내려가서 삶을 되찾을 수도 없어.

                                  아마 이 맹약을 완수하는 순간, 여기서 내 목숨도 다하겠지.]


                                                  "..그래요, 
                                          당신은 끝내, 죽는 그 순간까지도."


이해하지 못했어,
그렇다면 이것보다 완벽한 결말은 없지,
라며 처녀는 속으로 웃었다.

                                               자 이제 어서 형을 집행해.


-그 때,


                                          [아아, 난 당신을 이해할 수 없었어.
                                         하지만 그건 당신도 마찬가지 아닌가?]


라며, 기사 얀미르는 몸을 돌려
탑의 구석에 팽개친 자신의 건틀렛을 집었다.

처녀는 그것을 보았다.


                                                     "..뭐?"


                                              [지금 나, 기사 얀미르는 결투의 의식에 따라 
                                               '기사 얀미르'와의 결전을 받아들이는 바다.

                                              결투는 상대방의 심장을 찔러 죽일 때 까지,

                                            또한 이것은 맹약의 언어가 부과하는 의무로서,
                                            나 자신은 이 결투에서 결코 도망칠 수 없다!]


                                                     "그런..그건 말도 안돼..
                                            날 죽이지도 않고 당신이 죽는다는 건 있을 수 없어!"


                                             [..그래, 당신이 가르쳐 준 이 '맹약' 때문에.

                                                         하지만 이제 그 맹약은 
                                                      나를 절대로 죽일 수 없으면서 
                                                동시에 어떠한 일이 있어도 나를 죽여야 해.

                                             설령 신이라 해도 이 모순은 해결할 수 없겠지!]


주욱 처녀의 심장을 향하고 있던 그의 검이
보이지 않는 힘에서 풀려난다.

얀미르는 망설임 없이 그 검의 끝을 
자신의 가슴팍에 갖다 대었다.

처녀의 눈동자는 초점을 잃었다,

안돼, 이럴 순 없어.



                                     "무슨..이런 어린애 같은 장난으로 끝나는 거야?
                                                  난..난 도대체..?"


                                                     [하하, 
                                            역시 널 죽이지 않길 잘 했어.

                                         네가 끝내 받아들이지 못한 이 결말이
                                      네게 할 수 있는 최고의 복수란 걸 알았으니까!]


그 말과 함께 
얀미르의 검은 거짓말처럼 그 자신을 관통했고
끝내 자신을 가두던 맹약에서 스스로를 자유롭게 하였다.

이미 마모되어 있었던 몸이기에 그 심장은 피 한 방울 내지 않고
그저 쩍쩍 갈라져 흩어질 뿐.

그렇게 그가 흩날려 사라지는 모습을 

탑의 처녀는 그저 넋을 놓고 바라 볼 수 밖에 없었다.






자, 그래서 결국
탑의 처녀는 어떻게 되었을까.

그건 나도 모른다,
별로 생각을 안 해봤으니까.


그래도 뭐 후일담 비슷한 이야기를 하자면

기사 얀미르는 결국 죽어서 사라졌지만
탑의 처녀를 죽여야한다,는 맹약을 해소한 것은 아니었지.

그래서 비록 그 주인은 죽었어도
기사의 검은 세상에 남았기에 주인의 맹약을 이어받아 
아직까지도 처녀의 심장을 노리고 있다고 한다.

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이야기 끝.