Editing Tasogare-iro no Uta Tsukai:Volume2 4th Play (section)

===Part 4===

Standing at both sides of the school’s main gate were teachers who Ada recognized.

“Ada, where did you go? You can’t just leave the school whenever you lik—”

“Sorry, Sensei! We can talk about it later!”

“Wha…… Wait, Ada!”

Ada forcefully shook off the hand that had grabbed her shoulder. With that momentum, she ran inside the school building.

—Although Kate-sensei had wanted her to report the situation, she couldn’t just do that.

On the third floor of the branch school was the dorm room assigned to the girls in her class.

Ada rushed over to the corner of the empty room. Her baggage had been casually thrown on the floor, and leaning against the wall was something long and narrow wrapped in cloth.

……So in the end, there was only this?

Right now, this was the only way she could help the teacher left behind in the institution.

That’s right, she didn’t want to have any regrets.

“It’s not like I’ve decided to be an {{Furigana|Exorcist|Gillshe}} or anything, Dad!”

She ran down the hallway. The sight of her carrying such a large object drew curious glances from students and teachers.

……Ahaha, how nostalgic. When she had entered Tremia and came out of the entrance ceremony holding her {{Furigana|Exorcist Spear|Gil}}, she had also been stared at like this.

Speaking of which, how had she made her very first friend?

Back then—

What crossed her mind was the image of a tall girl with black hair. It was the girl who was her roommate in Tremia Academy’s female dorms. The girl had spoken to Ada first and by chance, they had been put in the same class. From there, they had gradually become friends.

She was the first friend Ada had made among the students in the Recitation school.

Ada turned the final corner leading to the lobby. Just before she turned, she spotted someone wearing a white Tremia Academy uniform. Ada ran down the hallway holding the absurdly long spear. When people saw her, were they surprised or did they tease her? She thought that everyone would fit in one of those two categories. But—

“Yo.”

Around the corner was a student with one hand raised in greeting, looking at Ada.

She was a classmate who Ada recognized, with black hair and a tall body.

“……Serges?”

Why, why was she here?

“After causing such a commotion, you rushed back downstairs. Anyone would notice you. But moreover, that spear—”

“T-This is……!”

Ada reflexively hid the spear behind her back. But the spear was taller than herself. There was no way she could hide it.

“I-It’s not what you think. U-Um…… I……”

She had intended to say something, but her voice wouldn’t come out.

I……I’m a student studying at a Recitation school, same as you. This spear is….. I’m only taking it out just this once. So…… Please, don’t hate me. I want us to stay friends forever and ever……

“Idiot, what are you muttering?”

As Ada flinched back, Serges suddenly touched her shoulder.

“Serges?”

“You decided, didn’t you? You chose this path.”

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps resounded throughout the hallway. Several teachers came running towards them.

“Hurry up and get going. I’ll make up an explanation for this.”

Smiling reassuringly, Serges gave Ada a push on the back.

“……Hey, Serges?”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Even after this…… Can we still be friends?”

“You idiot.”

The girl who Ada stood back to back with said in a sincere voice from the bottom of her heart.

“If you have time to worry about something like that, then go back to what you were doing!”

At that moment, Ada felt extremely heavy chains being lifted from her with a clanking noise.

The weight of the spear that she had gotten used to now felt lighter.

……Did you hear that, Dad?

Even if I’m not a Reciter, this is still the place where I belong. I have friends who are waiting for me here.

“It’s fine. Sometimes, I just want to be a regular girl.”

“Yeah yeah, I got it.”

Other than that, Ada’s friend didn’t say anything else.

—Thank you.

Without looking back, Ada ran through the lobby.


Ada ran directly towards the school gate, where some teachers were standing.

“……Ada!”

Ada heard a familiar voice from behind. Looking back, she saw a girl running towards her with her scarlet hair fluttering.

“Ada, where are you going?! Both Neight and Kate-sensei are missing, so there’s a huge commotion among the teachers!”

“Sorry, but I don’t have time to talk about that right now.”

“Wait!”

Ada turned around. But before she could run ahead, Kluele grabbed her shoulder.

“Does that mean you know where Kate-sensei and Neight are?”

“Kluele, I need to—”

Her words were cut off by Kluele.

“If you’re in such a rush, then I can probably help you out.”

Winking and letting out a small chuckle, Kluele’s mouth softened into a smile.

“……Eh?”

She didn’t understand. What did Kluele mean?

“Ada, can you make a little cut on my finger with that spear you’re holding?”

“Kluele? Sorry, but I don’t get—”

Before Ada could finish speaking, Kluele pressed her finger against the tip of the spear. Ada had no time to react. The girl’s fingertip gently touched the sharpened spear.

“W-What are you doing?!”

“Ada. I told you before, I had also been feeling lost for a long time now.”

Speaking in a gentle voice, Kluele turned around to face Ada. 

“I used to be scared of Recitations. But when I told him that, he said ‘I believe in you.’ ……That was cunning of him. The way he supported me with all of his heart made me feel really embarrassed.”

Him?

The person who Kluele used that word to describe…… Could it be?

“That person’s identity is a secret.”

Kluele showed a partly mischievous, partly shy smile.

“Because of that, I decided. If there’s something I can do right here, right now— I won’t be scared anymore, because I don’t want to let down his belief in me.”

On her fingertip, a single drop of red catalyst quivered in the breeze.

The red droplet was swept away by a gust of wind— and imperceptibly changed into countless feathers that burned with a crimson flame. There were hundreds, thousands of feathers. They didn’t fall to the ground but fluttered in the air, as if embracing the girls.

The feathers looked familiar. Was this what Kluele had called out during the recital contest? But it was strange. This time, she hadn’t sung a <{{Furigana|Song of Praise|Oratorio}}>.


[A <{{Furigana|Song of Praise|words}}> is not needed to call me out.]


That voice reached even Ada’s ears.

It was a mysterious voice. Vague and fleeting, yet somehow very close by.

[[File:Tasogare_v2_211.jpg|thumb]]

[Beloved little bird. Songstress without wings. Come, call out my name.]

A gentle wind blew. It was a gentle breeze that cleared their hearts, different from the salty breeze that surrounded them.

The blazing feathers fluttered in the air as if they were dancing. As if they were protecting the girl with scarlet hair.

After the red honorary ritual finished— A gigantic Recited creature with deep crimson wings stood silently behind Kluele as if it was snuggling up to her.

“……No way.”

Ada took a step back as if she had been pushed.

It was a creature from stories, from legends. This creature was known to be a legend by not only those who studied Recitations, but even to regular people around the world.

It was unmistakably the Red True Spirit. In front of Kluele and Ada stood the noblest Recited creature.

[Please get on, chick with claws.]

Giving a small nod to the Reciter who had called it out, the {{Furigana|Divine Bird of Dawn|Phoenix}} extended a wing towards Ada.

[Now, tell me the path you wish to go.]

Path. The place she must head to. That was……

……The path she chose was……


—You decided, didn’t you? You chose ''that'' path—


The path she chose was surely different from everyone else’s.

But she wouldn’t hesitate anymore. After all, she had made that promise to the friend who sent her off.

“—How mean.”

Ada curled her lips into a broad grin.

“You truly understood me, didn’t you?”

After a moment of silence……

As if it was trying to match hers, a smile lit up in the divine bird’s eyes.

[Very good, girl who should not be a Reciter. That was a very good decision.]


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