Editing Tasogare-iro no Uta Tsukai:Volume2 3rd Play (section)

===Part 2===

“Well, let’s end it here for today.”

The teacher in charge of the class, Kate, closed her textbook.

“Alright. Thank you very much.”

“It’s already lunchtime, so I’m sorry that it ended a little late.”

“N-No, it’s fine…… It’s because I haven’t learned about this before.”

Putting the textbook into his bag, Neight frantically shook his head.

Tremia Academy’s courses were based on a credit system, so other than the essential subjects, students could freely choose the courses they wished to take.

The course that Neight had been taking was one of the required subjects concerning Recitations, historical studies. This was an area he had learned nearly nothing about before being enrolled in Tremia Academy.

“Like I thought, was it too difficult studying one-on-one with a teacher?”

Gazing at him with a wry smile, Kate asked, amused. This course was one that his other classmates had all finished taking before summer vacation. Because of that, the left out Neight had ended up coming to one-on-one lessons with Kate.

“……Difficulty-wise, it really is hard.”

“I’m glad you’re being honest.”

The teacher smiled happily.

“By the way, that Rainbow Color Reciter was also bad at this subject.”

“Xins-san, you mean?”

“The director of education secretly told me about it. She used to be Xins-san’s teacher.”

The director of education, Jessica. He had met her only once when he was enrolling into this school. After that, he didn’t remember having ever talked to her. She was often by the headmaster’s side, and rather than being a teacher, she now seemed to be more like the headmaster’s secretary.

“Was Xins-san an outstanding person ever since he was a student?”

“When he was a student, his grades seemed to be around average in his school. Or rather, he didn’t seem interested in school lectures. And that includes the history that I was just teaching you. How contradictory, that a person whose name would be remembered throughout history wasn’t interested in studying history himself.”

—Speaking of which, Mother hadn’t taught him about Recitation history either.

Was that by chance, or was it something inevitable? In this aspect, Mother and the Rainbow Reciter were probably quite similar to each other.

“Now then, enough of our useless talking. Let’s go eat lunch. If you don’t hurry to the cafeteria, your seat will be taken!”

Ah, oh no! Speaking of which, hadn’t he been invited by Mio-san and Kluele-san to eat lunch together?

“Please excuse me, but I’ll be going on ahead!”

Carrying his bag under his arm, Neight hurriedly ran down the hallway.


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In the hallway outside the first floor lobby, thick lush plants were planted at regular intervals, and a simple roof was built overhead to block the rain.

Leaning back against a beam that supported the roof—

Kluele gazed blankly at the roof overhead. Under the hot sun and hot wind, without wiping her forehead that was covered in sweat, she simply let herself enjoy the tranquil moment.

What broke the silence was the voice of her close friend.

“Ah, Kululu, you’re here!”

With quick steps, the girl with a familiar face ran up to Kluele.

“……Mio?”

Behind her, Neight could also be seen.

“Kululu, you didn’t come even though it was already lunchtime, so we were looking for you.”

“Eh, it’s that time already?”

Rubbing her eyes, Kluele stepped away from the beam she had been leaning against.

“……Sorry, my class ended early, so I was spacing out for a bit.”

“Honestly…”

Puffing up her cheeks, Mio crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Mio-san and I went to take a look, and like we expected, the cafeteria is crowded. I don’t think there will be a free seat for three people any time soon.”

“It can’t be helped. Let’s go there to just buy lunch, then sit and eat at a bench outside.”

The two exchanged glances and nodded.

“Ah……Mio, sorry, but could you help me buy my share as well?”

“Sure. That’s right, the cafeteria is crowded, so I should just go by myself and buy all of our shares.”

—No, that’s not what I meant.

Kluele had a different reason in mind. But she couldn’t say it out loud.

“……Kluele-san?”

They watched Mio hurry away in the direction of the cafeteria. After a little while, Neight looked up at her.

“Kluele-san, did something happen?”

“What do you mean?”

With his deep purple hair swaying in the wind, he looked anxiously at her.

“……For some reason, Kluele-san doesn’t seem very energetic today.”

Facing Neight, who looked up at her intently, Kluele couldn’t help but close her eyes.

—A part of you is really perceptive, isn’t it?

He had given off that impression since the very beginning. It wasn’t that he was looking carefully at her face. Perhaps he was simply sensitive like that.

“Yeah…… I was just feeling kind of lost.”

Like she was trying to deceive him, she tried to let out her best fake laugh.

……But what should she say? She couldn’t find any suitable words. Therefore—

“Hey. Don’t you feel scared?”

Kluele spoke honestly, the terribly direct words coming out of her mouth without being embellished at all.

“Scared?”

“About Recitations.”

His eyes widened, perhaps because he couldn’t guess the meaning behind her words. ……Like I thought, my question sounded strange.

“Hey. A while ago, didn’t you see a huge blaze of fire that came from the plaza?”

“Ah, I saw that!”

With an excited expression, the boy spoke.

“It was amazing, wasn’t it? Even Kate-sensei, who was with me at the time, was surprised. It seemed like the other teachers went to investigate the cause of that. Because of that, my lesson ended a little late.”

“—Neight.”


“The one who called that out was me.”


“…………Eh?”

There was a silence that lasted for more than a few seconds. Neight stood there, forgetting to breathe.

“That can’t be…… No, but…… No way, it was Kluele-san?”

“You can’t believe it, right? But it’s true.”

That’s right. It was natural that he couldn’t believe her right away.

Because after all, she couldn’t even believe it herself.

“During the recital contest, I unexpectedly called out the {{Furigana|Divine Bird of Dawn|Phoenix}}, right? After that, I felt a bit strange. You might think what I’m saying is a bit weird, but…”

She took a breath. As the faint sound lingered in the air—

Looking down at the palms of her hands, Kluele apprehensively continued.

“My Recitations are going too well.”

“Too well?”

Shocked, he repeated her words like a baby.

“Sorry. I might seem like I’m bragging, but…… That’s really not the case. I’m actually really scared.”

During this morning’s practical skills lesson, the Recitation she had conducted to solve the situation had been done so easily that she had thought it was strange. Without even singing a {{Furigana|Song of Praise|Oratorio}}, the time it took for her to Recite had only been a few seconds.

No, it wasn’t just that. She had also involuntarily thought that the Recitations of the other students were terribly immature.

Their imagination and {{Furigana|Songs of Praise|Oratorios}} had been too childish. She had easily been able to see through the parts of their Recitations. She had felt the illusion that there was nothing she couldn’t do in {{Furigana|Keinez|Red Recitations}}.

“Surely I’m misinterpreting it. Speaking of which, when class was over and I was left alone, I secretly tried to Recite some fire…… The catalyst was ordinary red paint.”

The result was that tremendous flame. She was truly glad that nobody had been nearby when it happened. If there had been someone close beside her— They wouldn’t have received just a burn.

“……That was really scary.”

With both hands, Kluele hugged her own body. It wasn’t that she was cold or that she was shaking. It was because her agitated heart and scalding body felt nearly painful. No matter what she did, it wouldn’t subside.

Perhaps it was a side effect of calling out a True Spirit during the recital contest. Surely it was because she was still in a state of excitement. But that also seemed wrong.

“I don’t want something like this to happen! I didn’t call out the Divine Bird for this purpose……”

She felt like the higher-grade students she had seen at the recital contest, who relied on power and violence. What would she do if she overestimated herself and her Recitation ended up spontaneously discharging? It wouldn’t be like the five-colored hydra back then, but there was definitely a chance that she could call out something dangerous.

When she had realized that possibility, she had felt cold and light-headed.

“That’s why I suddenly feel afraid of Recitations.”

Before the sound of her words vanished…

“—But......”

The boy who usually acted quiet and reserved said in an abnormally strong tone of voice.

“But, I don’t think Kluele-san will become like those higher-grade students or conduct such a scary Recitation.”

I’m happy you’re saying that. But, it’s useless. I……

“After all, I believe in you.”

Please, right now, don’t look at me with those eyes.

“Thank you…… But, I’m sorry. I can’t even believe in myself right now.”

She involuntarily averted her eyes. His excessively straightforward gaze felt painful to the point of hurting.

“—Kluele-san.”

Suddenly, his tone of voice changed.

“Please. ‘I can’t even believe in myself’……Please, please don’t say such sad things.”

Although she should have averted her eyes, she couldn’t help but turn her gaze towards him—

Like the surface of an overflowing fountain.

She couldn’t help but look at his shaking, quivering black eyes.

……Neight?

“Kluele-san is not someone who can't believe in herself. Because after all, Kluele-san is feeling this scared.”

[[File:Tasogare_v2_117.jpg|thumb]]

Suddenly, without warning—

“……W-What’s wrong?”

He gently grasped her hand in both of his.

“H-Hey, Neight?”

“It will definitely be alright. If it’s Kluele-san’s Recitation, no matter what it is, I won’t be scared. If your Recitation is scary, I will be there together with you.”

N-No, that’s not what I meant. My hand…… Why so suddenly—

“It’s a good luck charm.”

The boy smiled. From the corner of his eye, a small droplet appeared.

“Kluele-san did the same for me during the recital contest.”

……I did?


‘It’s okay. I will stay with you. Let’s call it out together.’


What had happened on that day replayed in her mind, word for word.

“I love Kluele-san’s Recitations. They are more gentle and beautiful than anyone else’s. They’re lovely. ……That’s why, please, don’t say that you can’t believe in yourself.”

He spoke in a stammering manner, the flow of his words anything but smooth. Even so, he tried his best to convey his feelings as strongly as he could..... And those feelings reached her.

—I see.

So you believe in me that much.

With an odd sensation, something blossomed in her chest. Painful at first, it was a strange feeling that couldn’t be put into words, but that feeling gradually changed into a gentle warmth.

I had always thought that I wanted to do what I could for you. ……But, I was wrong. I was actually making you worry so much about me, wasn’t I?

“Um, could it be that you’ve forgotten what happened that time?”

With lonely eyes Neight looked up at her, who had been silent all this time.

“Don’t be silly. There’s no way I would forget.”

With a finger, she poked the forehead of the boy who was gazing at her.

“……That hurts.”

“It shouldn’t hurt. You’re a boy, aren’t you?”

Like she was teasing him, Kluele winked.

—I’m sorry for making you worry.

But, I’m a bit relieved. I won’t say that I can’t believe in myself anymore.

“……Hey.”

Somehow, you’re a really strange person.

Sometimes I think of you like a little brother to take care of, and other times I think of you like a friend who gets depressed easily. You should be just a normal classmate, but— For some reason, I can’t leave you alone. I think of you as someone very important to me.

I still don’t really understand it.

“I wonder what to call the relationship between us.”

Hey, what do you personally think?

“Eh, r-relationship? Umm…… classmates?”

After thinking it over for a while, he replied seriously in a troubled voice.

Yeah. That’s definitely true for now, but—

“But hey, don’t you think that might change from now on?”

“Change?”

“Fufu, I wonder.”

“Eh, please tell me!”

Looking up at her, the boy puffed up his cheeks. It was such an innocent gesture. Like she thought, he might still be a bit unreliable to become a knight who protects his princess.

“I still don’t understand it either. Well, never mind that. ……Ah, Mio’s back. Now, where would be a good place to eat?”

“……That’s not fair, Kluele-san!”

“Come on, we have to hurry and eat lunch. After all, aren’t we going to play at the beach with everyone else in our class this afternoon?”