Vol 1 Chapter 1 (1/2)

1st Play: Etude of Red and Night

Part 1

“Hey Kululu, have you decided which one to choose?”

Mio, in one corner of the general store, inquired loudly to the opposite corner of the room

……Really, I could hear her fine even without the loud voice!

Kluele Sophi Net, the friend who trotted forward and gave Mio a half-reproaching look, shook her head

The store was not very big, and there weren’ther shoulders, Mio showed off the e paper held in her left hand

“Hey, I’ve decided to use this one Don’t you think the size is perfect?”

She gazed with reen eyes siirl with characteristic petit size who possessed an adorable doll-like face Although she was also sixteen years old, the impression of her exterior appearance and her carefree tone of voice er

“I’ paper is an alternate option for me”

“I think drawing paper is wonderful After you’re done, you can bring over the origami”

With an innocent s her short blonde hair

“Are you going to use the frog paper that you called out to ami……? I think that one’s kind of bad It feels like it will become sticky”

“Then, which one does Kululu want?”

That is where the proble hair that started to stick to her face and aze away from Mio, who questioned in an annoyed voice

In the Recitation school that the two attended, there were only four days left until the recital contest assembly

Recital contest – a competition where every student Recited, and called out the best object they could Fareat event

To students of their grade,the fun However, to students wanting to graduate, it is an important occasion that influences career choices

“Mm, let’s just use this one”

After hesitating for a long time, Kluele picked up a tube of red paint from a merchandise display basket

“Eh… This kind of paint is commonly used in school!”

Mio puffed up both of her cheeks in an unsatisfied manner

When entering high school, every student chose the color that they would specialize in Mio chose Green, and Kluele chose Red In the upco recital contest, students must use their specialized color to Recite The problem hat to use as a catalyst

Just like how Mio chose a green paper to use as a catalyst, the circumstances for a Red-color Recitation was the sa as the material was red, it could function as a catalyst

As a result, Kluele chose red paint – However, Mio felt disappointed by this fact

“It’s only because I always use it, that I can feel at ease using that There will be a lot of people co, I will feel humiliated”

“Mht However, don’t you feel like you’re ?”

The girl shrugged her shoulders…… Mio soe points

“It doesn’ttruly extraordinary”

Glancing at her incessantly co friend, Kluele continued to walk towards the front sales desk

“Hurry up After we leave, we are still going to check answers for to, isn’t that such a waste of time?”

“But I always think……”

Kluele grabbed the ared her outside

“Stop coo back”

They walked down a path to which the end couldn’t be seen After walking for almost half an hour, their destination finally appeared

Tremia Academy It is the Recitation school attached to the Tremia research institute, and is widely known as one of the very best schools in the world With consistent courses froh school, its facilities and equipe-scale schools

“Kululu, I was thinking……”

Using her arainst her body, Mio ca in the tone of a spoiled child At this tiuess her next words

”It’s too troublesoht, can I stay at Kululu’s place?”

Sure enough, it was the same as before

“Fine, fine But you have to help me cook!”

Kluele raised the shopping bags that she held in the air to substitute for a nod of her head Kluele was originally a student froo to Tre alone in the academy dormitory Every day, Mio commutes to school from her own house, but the round trip easily takes over four hours Therefore, if it is too late in the evening, she would usually spend the night in Kluele’s room

“……But, why is it this hot?”

Mio, alking beside her, complained futilely Tiny beads of sweat appeared on her forehead

“Because it’s summer”

Because she didn’t kno to respond, Kluele also stated the obvious, most certain fact

It wasn’t that she didn’t understand Mio’s mood The asphalt road attracted the heat of the sun, and burned their feet through the soles of their shoes Occasionally, excessively dry wind blehich parched their throats after breathing it in

In fact, she also wanted to wipe the sweat off of her forehead, but because of the shopping bag in her hands, she had to repress the urge In comparison, Mio still had one free hand and used it to take out a hankerchief

“But, whatup Does Kululu have any plans?”

—After thinking about it for a few seconds, the faces of her parents appeared in her mind

“I will probably go back tome in person, they can’t feel at ease”

“At ease? That’s true, of course your parents orry”

“But I’m already sixteen years old They still worry so ?”

The two continued chatting while walking towards the shadow of a tree by the roadside The feeling of wearing clothes soaked in sas very uncomfortable

……It was a mistake to wear such a thick jacket, wasn’t it?

Kluele wore long pants on the bottom half of her body Because she didn’t like to wear skirts, there was nothing she could do about it However, she should have worn a blouse instead

“Are your parents worried about your grades?”

Mio grinnedKluele’s expression

“How did Kululu do on this tiuessing questions?”

“Ah… Don’t ask me about that!”

As if trying to escape, Kluele turned so that her back faced the girl at her side

Before the vacation, a combined test had been held Out of the corades, Kluele’s score ranked one thousand three hundred seventy Out of the four hundred and one people in her sa questions that she had practiced with her friend the day before the test were all useless She practically handed back a blank exam paper The people in the ranks below her had pretty much the same situation

……However, even though she had said it like that, after the scores were announced, in the classrooirl currently at her side Mio had been s only before she received her school report

“How did Mio do on the test?”

“Me? About the same as last time, I just barely made it into the top one hundred Corade, I’m ranked second!”

“Wow, you traitor! The same as last time? How are you able to do so well?”

Because it was so unexpected, Kluele couldn’t help but raise her voice However, the girl in question had an aloof expression on her face

“Eh? Because the questions this time were really easy All you had to do was to reet three questions correct”

……But I remember that the textbook was a lot thicker than a dictionary!

Even though Mio spoke in a relaxed voice, she was probably the only first-year student who had read that book from start to finish

“Hey, it’s because if I don’t do well, I won’t get as much pocket money”

“……Next time, you have to treat me to dinner”

Really, what a sly person

Half ah she did that, Mio immediately circled in front of her and stared intently into Kluele’s face

“But I really did read the book Because I really admire Xin-sama!”

“Xin-sama is…… that Rainbow Color Reciter?”

The Reciter equal to a legend, it htly

“Because, can you believe it? He’s not even thirty years old He’s only a little more than ten years older than us, and he is already proficient in all of the Recitation Colors Even though I’ve only seen pictures of him, he looks really handsome! I really hope to meet him one day Ah…… If I could, I wish that one day I could become his apprentice—”

Mio’s eyes sparkled as she portrayed the scene in her head ……She’s really unbearable Although she sighed and laughed bitterly, she herself hadn’t noticed that she had already entered the vain world

“Yes, yes, I understand That’s why you’re—”

It was just when she was about to stop Mio’s endless ue

About twenty meters ahead of her, at the point where the road split into two, Kluele spotted a person that she had never met before

It was a young child Although it was hard to see from a distance, he couldn’t be older than them His hair was a dark purple, able to be called the color of a grape He didn’t wear a Tremia Academy uniform, but rather everyday clothes Because he wore a black children’s coat, he was especially eye-catching Even though it was– But whatwas the bird-like creature perched on his shoulder

“Eh, who is that child?”

It see ed over

“Hey, what are you doing? This is considered to be the school’s campus, you know”

“Eh…… Ah, yeah Oh, were you talking to me?”

The boy asked, looking startled It see down each fork of the road that he hadn’t noticed us until now He had a gentle, androgynous face bri with a childish nature

He was…… a child, no matter how you looked at it

To Kluele, he looked about twelve or thirteen years old He was exactly the saht as Mio

[I don’t knohich way to go I heard that the student dormitories were down this road, but I wasn’t told that there was a split in the path Just which way should I take?]

The one who answered to the words above wasn’t the boy—

“Wah, Arma I told you clearly, you can’t just suddenly open your !”

The boy hastily covered the mouth of the creature on his shoulder It wasn’t a bird The skin covering its body…… The proper way to call it would be scales It resembled the dark purple color of the boy’s hair, but the color and luster were even stranger That appearance seemed like……

“A lizard?”

Mio shrieked in an off-tone voice At that sound, the enigmatic creature on the boy’s shoulder narrowed its eyes

[Not a lizard Little girl, don’t you recognize me?]

The thoroughly astounded Mio shook her head How could she know! First of all, based on just the outward appearance, it didn’t look like anything other than a lizard Even more important was that its size was similar to a cat’s It was the first time that Kluele had seen a lizard that called itself ‘I’

“Ah, idiot Arma I’ve repeatedly reminded you that you are not allowed to talk!”

[You don’t have to worry, Neight These two little girls seem to have the sanificant matter][1]

Similar interests? For a moment, she was bewildered by his point, but in other words……

“Hey, you This interest isn’t Reciting things, is it?”

Kluele aze from the reptile anihtly

“Yes, yes, that’s right But I didn’tto beco, common people would be very startled”

To conceal his embarrassment, the boy shyly scratched the back of his head

……No, ere extremely startled

Kluele sed the words that were about to come out of her mouth

Although calling out a living creature wasn’t difficult, being able to call out a high-level creature capable of huree of difficulty, it should be equivalent to the second stage — a Recitation of the second scale In other words, even high school teachers would have trouble with this type of Recitation How many children in the world would walk around freely with such a rare creature called out?

But that was not our problem It wouldn’t make a difference no matter how curious ere

“Then, you are Neight-kun, right? The guy on your shoulder said — you were looking for the dormitory?”

[Hey, little girl, to call uy’……]

Before he could finish his sentence, his ain covered by the boy

“Ah, yes You can just call ht I transferred from another school I just arrived here today, so I don’t knohere the dormitories are……”

“Yeah, the dorirls’ dormitories and boys’ dormitories, that’s why there are two roads here”

Still holding the drawing paper, Mio raised her left hand

“This way is the girls’ dorht are the boys’ dormitories”

“So it’s like that Thank you!”

Mio sratitude

“You’re welcome I’m Mio, and she is Kulu—”

“I ao to the saain sometime”

Kluele replied hastily, in order to interrupt Mio’s words

With Mio’s personality, she was definitely planning to use ‘Kululu’ to introduce me When Mio calls me that, I don’t take offense at the nickname But when other people address h she thought that, the truth was that the name ‘Kululu’ seemed too childish and unsuitable

“Mio-san and Kluele-san, right? Thank you very o”

[Little girls, thank you]

……It irl’ by a lizard

Although she really wanted to complain, what use would it be to scold a lizard?

Stifling the dissatisfaction in her heart, Kluele nodded lightly at the boy who bowed his head in gratitude

Part 2

“Sorry I took so long, Mio It’s your turn to take a bath now”

Did it har ti a towel to wipe her wet hair She glanced at the clock in the change roo?

After eating dinner, Mio had let her go first, and because of the sweaty afternoon, she had subconsciously bathed for such a long time

“Hey, Mio?”

nobody answered She should have been in the dining room beside the bathroom Kluele stealthily opened the door and took a look, to discover Mio sitting with her elbow on the table, propping her cheek and staring at the ceiling

“Hey, are you there…… Hey, are you listening to me?”

Just when she was about to walk up to Mio and block her line of sight, the girl finally opened her mouth

“Letreally called out?”

But apparently she see to herself, with a dreamy expression

“By ‘that’ you mean?”

“Didn’t weon his shoulder”

She see, it was usually about so Kluele couldn’t see

“That lizard, I don’t knohether to call it purple or black Or maybe it wasn’t a well-known color What type of Recitation did it take to call out such a thing?”

“……Hht”

Thinking about it now, perhaps it really was like that That was a hard to describe color If she had to take a guess, it would be red or blue But to classify it as one color, there wereunable to be called out by either red or blue, with a mysterious dark hue

“No matter what color it was, I wouldn’t want to call out such an arrogant lizard”

She laughed bitterly while toweling her hair

“Sure enough, a bird is better I think I’ll just decide on a bird A bird isreptile”

After saying that, Mio, who had been expressionless up until now, raised the corners of her mouth

“I heard that birds are the most popular in the recital contest About three hundred people have the goal of calling out a bird, so it’s totally insignificant”

“Oh…… really?”

“At least I heard it was like that last year”

Even though Mio raised theto her carefree tone of voice, does she plan to call out so different?

“What will Mio choose?”

“I will be calling out an ani Should I call out er one?”

Out of all the Green creatures, which ones are considered big? Although she was curious, the reason Mio wasn’t explaining in detail was probably to give her a surprise

“Let’s not talk about it anyo take a bath now, the water will be cold”

“Yeah, you’re right Kululu, you’re too slow!”

“I caht that you didn’t notice If you have tio”

Fro Mio into the bathroo practice tomorrow, so if you don’t hurry and take a bath, I will be very annoyed

“Your lihts!”

“Eh…… What, you cheater…… Wait a moment, Kulu—”

Ignoring the talking girl, Kluele closed the door of the change room

Part 3

“Thank you for your hard work Well then, please excuse me”

The bell declaring the arrival of thethe seniors at the club activity, Kluele charged full-speed into the first year’s school building

The space occupied by Tree school Walking fro took at least half an hour

“Woah, it’s already this late……”

Shooting a glance at her wristwatch, there were two asped for air as she clin of her classroo her hand on the door handle, sheposture as she opened the door

Because she exerted tooas if in an earthquake However, the students did not find this unusual If she did not do this, she would be late for class All of the students in the class already understood this

“Kululu, good ood; it was seven seconds faster than last e”

Mixed with a bitter laugh, Mio, who held a stopwatch in one hand, declared in a carefree manner

“……I don’t have time to care about that kind of stuff Where’s the teacher? Isn’t she here yet?”

“Mm, she’s not here yet It looks like you’re on time today”

“You mean, I’m also on time today”

Moving her gaze away fro, she opened the backpack in her hand Just when she was about to take out an energy drink, the door in front of her eyes opened

Wearing a soft green outfit and with shoulder-length blonde hair dazzling in the sun, a woman walked smoothly into the classroom She was the homeroom teacher, Kate

“’Morning, everyone…… Ah, Kluele, you aren’t late today”

The teacher taunted gently She twitched her cheek for an instant

“Is, Is this natural?”

Kluele pretended to cal her shoulders

—I…… A?

I’m confident that I arrive at school earlier than anyone else, but because the club’sexercise lasts alraceful title of ‘King of arriving late to class’

“I look forward to you continuing to arrive on time tomorrow…… Ah, it looks like all the other students are already here”

The teacher held back a laugh while beginning to take attendance of the students

“There are also no special announcements today We will conduct catalyst experiather at Laboratory One after finishi+ng your lunch This is the one thing you cannot forget Next……”

Kate stopped and coughed lightly

“Even though we are close to summer vacation, ‘1-B’ has a new student He is thirteen years old this year, and the youngest member of the class”

The atmosphere in the class i in a nearby seat made a small noise of surprise In a seat a little farther away, the usually absent-minded Mio was also surprised

Because learning to become a Reciter isn’t compulsory education, everyone all studies the same common subjects before twelve years old After that, each decides what to focus on studying Recitation school is merely one of the specialist schools

As a result, there are no boundaries based purely on age After finishi+ng third year of h school, one is able to obtain the qualifications to becoh school at only thirteen years old, means that at ten, he attended norh it wasn’t unprecedented in history, it was undoubtedly a rare case

“Let ht-kun, please come in”

……Eh, Neight? Where have I heard that before?

As soon as the door opened, a boy wearing the white uniform of Tremia Academy came in

He had dark purple hair, with height average for a thirteen-year-old boy Although he was nervous and somewhat stiff, it was still possible to see his innocent, childish face When their eyes met—

“Eh, Neight-kun?”

Before Kluele could speak, Mio, sitting in the corner of the classroom, cried out For a split second, he was startled because someone suddenly called out his name However, he soon said:

“Ah…… Eh…… It couldn’t be Mio-san?”

“Mm, you still remember me Ah, Kululu is here too!”

“Kululu?”

Seeing Neight’s puzzled expression, Mio voluntarily pointed over this way —Mio, that idiot

Kluele couldn’t help but lower her shoulders while sighing She had purposely introduced herself as ‘Kluele’ yesterday, but in a split second, her words were made futile

“……Good ht”

“Ah, Kluele-san, good ”

To be able to receive such a serious response azes of all the students in the class were on her

“—Well, Kluele, do you know this kid? Doesn’t he look cute?”

The friend sitting behind her poked her in the back with a pen Students around her also said things like, “Eh? I didn’t expect Kluele to know hi

“Ah, Mio and Kluele, do you know this student?”

At hearing their conversation, question marks surfaced in Kate’s mind

“Yesterday, we met him near the dormitories”

Mio answered right away

“I see It’s good that you already have people you know Ah, but Neight-kun, because the other people aren’t familiar with you yet, could you please introduce yourself?”

“Ah…… Yeah, okay”

Standing up straight, the boy on the stage bowed his head

“Eh…… I ao to a school in raduate of this school, I have alanted to come here……”

The teacher gently put her hand on the boy’s shoulder, surveying the classroom

“There is still time before the first class starts Does anyone have any questions for hi for him to answer questions individually, so please ask any questions that you have right now”

“Ah - ! Me, I have a question!”

The one who iirl who had poked Kluele with a pen, Ada

“Um, what color of Recitation do you want to specialize in?”

After hearing that question— the boy suddenly looked at the teacher in dismay

“Um…… That…… Mine is…… a little different than normal”

The teacher urged the e

“It’s called Night Color Recitation…… I’ that field”

The boy lowered his head in an embarrassed manner and said those words

“Night Color?”

Rather than saying she had tilted his head, her whole facial expression was dumbfounded as Ada pondered those words

“Night as in Day and Night Should I call it blackish-blue, or purple…… Either way, it’s that kind of color of Recitation”

“The school that Neight-kun previously went to, did they teach that type of color?”

Looking at Ada, who had an unbelievable look on her face, he replied uneasily:

“Um, I don’t think any place teaches it…… Because that is the original creation of my mother”

Original creation Those words caused Ada to let out a sh

“In other words, it’s a new Recitation Color?”

However, he hurriedly waved his hand

“No, it’s not that a, and no application has been sent for a new Recitation Color…… And plus, I myself still haven’t…… fully mastered it yet”

His voice beca just transferred, it was only natural

Just when Kluele, who sat propping up her chin, was about to help hi the end of ho

Part 4

The sun began to slowly climb up to the heavens, and the te in a sauna, it was a humid heat that stuck to people’s skin Now, the inside of the air-conditioned school cafeteria should have been overfloith teachers and students without class Those who had no class should have ordered theracefully passed the time there

—But, that is based on the condition that students have no class to attend

A sigh was about to escape her mouth, but Kluele stiffly sed it back

In the Recitation school, foundation courses were taught in thewhile the afternoon was filled with classes of practical drills High school first year students spend approxi a recitation

“Has everyone arrived?”

Wearing a white gown over her clothes, Kate walked around the laboratory

Basically, recitation experiroups of four people

One was the Reciter, one was the record keeper, and the other tere assistants to prevent an eency situation

Kluele’s female partner was Mio, and her male partner was Alsem —He was a tall student with an earnest nature, and specializing in Yellow Recitations Finally, there was also Neight Because he was a new student and currently studying an unclear Recitation, he becaet But because she recognized the situation, Mio successfully half-forced hiroup

“So, let’s decide ill go first”

After she had finished roup draw first Although it was called an experi a Recitation of one’s specialized color that served as a trial run for the recital contest three days later

“Ah, I’m second”

Mio said in an unconcerned voice

“I’m third”

“I seem to be fourth”