Editing Tasogare-iro no Uta Tsukai:Volume1 Final Play (section)

===Part 2===

One versus several tens. Although they faced only one opponent, of the original nearly one hundred chimeras, less than half remained. Just when she wanted to confirm the exact number, another one was shot down. Some were knocked down by a sweeping tail, others were batted away by wings. Their overwhelming number didn’t give the chimeras an advantage.

“What is……that?”

It was only a single intruder, a dragon with a midnight-colored appearance. Not counting the hydra, this was Enne’s first time seeing a Recited creature with such a large body. A True Spirit? But what Color is it?

“—Seems like it was in time.”

The close voice made her jump. The voice sounded like it came from directly behind her. It was just between Xins and herself, from a place where their shadows overlapped.

She didn’t reply. Turning her head, she saw a “shadow” the size of a human standing there. Its whole body wasn’t dark like being covered in black paint. Instead, it had a transparent impression and gave off a Night-colored luster. Also, its shape reminded her of the silhouette of a ten-year-old girl.

A True Spirit? It was a First Scale Recitation’s Recited creature, surpassing things like {{Furigana|Second Scale Recitation|Noble Aria}}’s {{Furigana|small yellow spirit|Will-o’-wisp}} and {{Furigana|small red spirit|Salamandes}}. Those were generally enormous creatures like a dragon, but it was the first time she had seen a True Spirit with a human figure like this.

“Enne.”

When the Recited creature suddenly called out her name, her body automatically stiffened.

“It’s already too dangerous here. You should know, right? A fight between True Spirits will turn their surroundings into scorched earth. I don’t know when the sparks will start flying, so take refuge near the first-year school building.”

Her heartbeat became noticeably louder. You should know, right— what did those words mean? This True Spirit spoke as if she seemed to know her.

It was the first time she had seen it. That’s right, this should be the first time she had met the True Spirit. ……But, why did she feel so uneasy?

“Xins and I will draw away the hydra. Those two friends by the first-year school building seem to be getting tired, so you should go help them out.”

The figure of the girl threw at her a leather bag that she had gotten somewhere. As she caught it, a jangling sound rang out from the leather bag. It was filled with catalyst gemstones?

“Now, go.”

“B-But—”

The True Spirit seemed to sigh and crossed her arms.

“Enne Revinesia. Your personality of being concerned about everyone still hasn’t changed.”

“Eh?”

'''''Forty-first key from the <Goetia seventy-second pillar>, Focalor'''''<br>
''—orbie clar, dremre : Goetia : Focalor—''

At that moment, the shadow stretching beneath Enne’s feet swelled. A griffon with wings the color of wet feathers floated up. This is, using my shadow as a catalyst?

“Take her with you. When you arrive, lend your assistance there.”

[As you wish.]

A low, heavy voice seemed to resound directly into Enne’s head. Nodding, the griffon began to flap its wings.

“W-Why does a True Spirit know my full na-……”

The rest of her words were drowned out by the sound of the griffon’s wings.

Just who are you? Before she received an answer, there was a breath of silence.

The True Spirit’s body that was made of shadow had no eyes or mouth. Her expression couldn’t be read. But strangely, she knew that the True Spirit had winked at her.

“Because I’m your classmate.”

……What’s that supposed to mean?

The griffon picked her up and left the ground. In the split second that she blinked, it had already flown up three stories high. Xins and the mysterious True Spirit who remained on the ground had become the size of her pinky.

“Hey…… Really, who are you?”

She muttered, unable to be heard by anyone but herself. Even if she shouted, they probably couldn’t hear her. An empty feeling like she had been left behind remained in her heart.

If you’re someone I met long ago—

Long ago, just how far back is that? Definitely before I became a teacher. Then before that… When I was still a student?

She thought back. When she was a student, her dream had been to call out a Pegasus. Zessel and Mirror were also now teaching students about Recitations. They had also achieved the Recitation they wanted during middle school. Xins had also become the Rainbow Color Reciter recognized by everyone.

Many people had achieved their dreams. They had all become Reciters acknowledged by everyone. Their Recitations were accepted by everyone. Nobody could laugh at their ambitions.

—Speaking of which, hadn’t there been a child who was the complete opposite?

A girl who always sat in a corner of the classroom. A single girl not acknowledged by anyone.

But Enne couldn’t remember her name. Only the Recitation she aimed for still remained in Enne’s mind. 

Night Color Recitations. The Recited creature that she was riding on was the same color as the sky overhead. Speaking of which, the mysterious knight that had helped her and Xins a while ago was also the same color—

“No way…… Is it you? Hey, is it you———”

Why? Why?!

Although she seemed to call out in midair, the only thing she couldn’t say was the girl’s name.


<div align="center"><nowiki>***</nowiki></div>


Night Color Recitations. Moreover, this is a First Scale Recitation, the True Spirit of Night?

Why the girl before his eyes was here, Xins instinctively realized. It didn’t matter who had called her out. As he clenched his teeth at the dull pain that came with every breath, he saw the sudden visitor.

Was this by chance……

The voice of the True Spirit before him was the same as the voice of the girl in his memories. And not just the voice. Her height. Figure. Everything reminded him of the girl. But, how could such a thing happen?

Not even a drop of moisture remained in his parched mouth. Therefore, he couldn’t gulp. Unnoticeably, the pain in his left hand and the noise of his surroundings had faded away.

He felt a strange sensation of floating, as if he had entered into another world.

Just like a world in which only he and the True Spirit before him existed.

“Is your hand okay? It’s fractured, isn’t it?”

All too suddenly, the True Spirit touched his left hand, something that a shadow shouldn’t be able to do. He didn’t consider her to be acting too intimately, because from a long time ago, there was a single person he was this familiar with.

Just one person. In other words, there wasn’t any other person who came to mind. Everything was the same as back then. A nostalgic feeling that he couldn’t put into words filled the crevice in his heart. A crevice that had lasted more than ten years.

“You acted rashly, didn’t you? How unlike you.”

A finger that should have been made of shadow traced over his left hand. There was warmth in that finger. There was no way he could accept everything that was happening before his eyes. But, he simply couldn’t deny that warmth.

“……Is it you?”

Amidst his chaotic emotions, something even he didn’t know emerged. An imperceptible fear and awe. Nostalgia and love. Xins put all of these feelings he couldn’t understand into a word.

—Evhemary.

“I kept my promise.”

It was unclear which was the front and which was the back of the jet-black figure. But despite that, Xins certainly saw. From inside the Night-colored veil that the girl wore, she smiled teasingly.

“Are you surprised?”

Her simple way of talking resounded in his chest.

……You haven’t changed.

She was just like before. After a long time had passed, the girl he knew was in front of him.

The rainbow color that expressed everything wasn’t there, replaced by a single color. She was his only rival, the friend who acknowledged him, and possibly above all else, his companion.

Narrowing his eyes, Xins shook his head.

“I’m already used to you doing things that go against common sense.”

From a distance away, the shaking of the ground drew closer.

Don’t you want an explanation? The girl seemed to say.

“You kept the promise. That’s more than enough……”

The girl turned around. So he wouldn’t see. So he wouldn’t find out. She rubbed her eyes.

“But, I still haven’t seen your Recitation yet.”

The girl turned to face the hydra that gradually drew closer.

“He seems unexpectedly strong. Can you be my backup, Rainbow Color Reciter-san?”

He didn’t answer. Simply nodding once, Xins turned around as his coat fluttered.


<div align="center"><nowiki>***</nowiki></div>


[I’ve disposed of most of them.]

Landing on the rooftop, Arma folded his wings. Rather than saying most, it would be more appropriate to call it entirely wiped out. Looking up at the sky, there was only the pale white moonlight and twinkling of the stars.

“……I’ll never accompany you on flying practice again.”

For the sake of dodging the chimeras’ attacks, he had dived down and swooped up, making Kluele lose her breath. As for the number of somersaults the Night-colored lizard did, she had lost count after ten. Because of all that, Kluele felt like her lifespan had shortened. She envied Neight, who had lost consciousness.

“Hey, don’t you need to help over there?”

“You mean the <Woman of Origin>?”

Shouldn’t this dragon be suitable for fighting against the hydra? The size of their bodies was on par, and he probably wouldn’t lose in terms of strength either. So then why was the True Spirit with the appearance of a girl purposely taking on the monster? That, she didn’t understand.

[Leaving this warm and safe place isn’t an easy thing to do.]

Like always, she didn’t get the point of this Recited creature’s words.

[Those two have already crawled out of their shells. That’s why I’m leaving it to them. There’s no need to worry.]

“Who do you mean by ‘those two’?”

[The girl and the promised boy. Those two have already wasted more than ten years, so it can’t be helped.]

It was useless. Before the lizard had started explaining, he was already in his own world.

Turning away from Arma, Kluele leaned Neight against the railing.

[Someday you will understand as well.]

Kluele turned around at the meaningful words. At the same time, a flash of light burned her eyes. Before she had realized it, the eastern sky had become brighter.

—Dawn was drawing closer.