Afterword

Hello, everyone.

My editor (what a hottie!) asked how many pages I was going to write for the afterword. I told him I was going to write ten or twenty pages, but shameful creature than I am, I ended up panting for breath after only seven.

Ah, this afterword is an exciting one.

We’ve reached volume three.

Volume three is a milestone for light novels, isn’t it? You often hear people say, “It starts to get interesting around volume three!” And the author begins to feel the excitement of, “Will I be able to keep the series going?!”

This story is almost completely original; there’s no corresponding episode in the version on Shosetsuka ni Narou! It’s a focus on some sub-characters who lost the spotlight in the rewrites of volumes 1 and 2, and on Sakurako-san, who’s been shuffled to the background, too. Readers of the web version will know this, but I’ve also introduced characters unique to the published version.

Amesho, Matsunaga, and Stroganoff are important, of course, but it all comes down to Sakurako-san. Like most of the characters, she’s led around by the nose by Ichiro, but she has to clean up for him even as he’s treating her that way. She was a popular character in the web version, but she had no episode painting her as a main female lead, so I wanted to give her more presence while I was rewriting for the print version.

So volume 3 lets a lot of colorful sub-characters get attention, and Sakurako-san gets to put her own charm on display. As long as I was doing that, I decided I’d also make it a swimsuit episode, but the character in question, Sakurako-san, does not get to wear a swimsuit. I couldn’t bear to make Kuwashima draw a picture of Kirschwasser gallantly trying to hide his embarrassment. What can you do?

The web version has a scene where she’s making paper in the buff, so you can read that instead.

One point of concern when I did the published version was Sakurako-san’s age. She was 25 at the start of volume one, and the birthday episode would make her 26, and I was aware that even in a work without much love comedy, this would strip away some of her appeal as a female lead. As her creator, I was determined that she had to be three years older than the young heir, so if my editor (what a hottie!) had told me “make her younger,” I was prepared to go to war.

When we were having our first discussions, I casually asked, “Is Sakurako-san’s age okay?” and he replied, “26, you said? Hmm, she’s right on the line.” Which meant that Sakurako-san safely made her female lead debut right on the line at 26.

And when a friend of mine read this story, he said, “I think it’s because Sakurako-san’s lifestyle is right on the line.” I guess it’s common knowledge that she’s borderline as a female lead.

If Sakurako-san is already on the line, that means that the upcoming episodes are going to get her in even more trouble. I’m not sure if we’ll get to that episode in the print version, but Sakurako-san has more “on-the-line lifestyle,” as my friend put it, waiting in the wings. I hope I can bring it to you.

One character in this volume who got a lot of focus was Megumi Fuyo, a.k.a. Nem. This is the first time in the print version that we’re diving below the surface on who she is. If the 26-year-old Sakurako-san is on the line, the 28-year-old Fuyo is out by a nose, I guess. But let’s not talk about that. I feel like I’m touching on a painful subject. It doesn’t matter who’s on the line or who’s out. They were all young once.

Right? Um, so yes... let’s talk about Amesho and the others.

I made up sub-characters like Stroganoff, Matsunaga, Amesho, and The Kirihitters on the spot when I was writing the web version, and slowly brought them to life. But as they kept on acting in the background and I decided on the final direction of the web version, I realized they were important to have around. Their appeal lies in the fact that they don’t get involved in the main thread of the story, so I didn’t make much chance for them to appear, but since this was an original episode for the print version, I wanted to give them a chance to shine. I’ll add them in anytime I get a chance in the future, too.

Um, I guess I’ve finally run out of page space...

No, I still have some left...

Why did I say I could write ten pages of this? What did I intend to write for ten pages? I can’t even keep the energy up. I want to go back to three days ago and kick myself.

Now for acknowledgments.

I made a lot of trouble for K, my editor (what a hottie!), again this time. It’s the third volume since my debut, and... um... I’m sorry I made you jealous. My progress, getting later and later, makes me feel more like trash. I need to get better at planning, next time. I’m also going to store up more of that gelatin drink with the weird name that you told me about in my fridge.

Next, Rein Kuwashima, who did wonderful illustrations once again! It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the reason I made this a swimsuit episode was to see Kuwashima draw Iris in a swimsuit. Of course, I wanted to see swimsuit Felicia and swimsuit Amesho, too! You have my most humble thanks! I’m happy that there was so much Sakurako-san, too!

And the proofreaders! I’m sorry for the unprecedented amount of typos that were present when it went around for copy. You’ve always been of such help to me, but the scale this time around wasn’t very cool, I guess. Thank you very much.

Of course, the editors, the printers, the booksellers, and all the people who enjoy the story on Shosetsuka ni Narou!, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! And thanks to you, the person reading this book, too! I’ll work hard and put out volume four! If you’re standing here reading this now and you’re hesitant, take this book to the register, please!

Okay, that’s six pages! Yes, I finished! Yahoo! I can do it when I try! Next time I’ll write ten or twenty pages of afterword!

See you later! Take care!