Afterword

Nice to meet you all! I’m Kazuki Sano!

And to everyone who has been following my work on the web, it’s been quite a while! I imagine that by the time you're reading this, I’ll have probably resumed my web activities, but as I write this, I’m not doing much of anything, which feels a little lonely. The comments I get on the web are always so warm and funny; it’s a very comfortable place to be!

I wonder if it’ll be warmer and more pleasant when you finally hold this book in your hands? I’m terrible with the cold, so I’m currently praying for winter to end as soon as possible. (It’s currently December.)

Now, regarding this afterword... I’ve been trying to think of what to write for ages. It’s only been three years since a friend lent me a light novel and introduced me to the medium, so the fact that I’m now on the side of the people making them is a bit overwhelming.

I’m not the kind of person who can be hit with the "Say something funny" trap and respond with "Sure, leave it to me," so I’ll just jot down whatever comes to mind!

First, I want to talk about how incredibly happy I was to be able to publish through Overlap. To be honest, I had entered this work into a different web contest and ended up failing in the final round. I was pretty confident in it, so my mental state was a bit of a wreck. Right at that moment, Overlap reached out to me. They were literally my mental saviors.

I remember praying half-seriously, thinking, "It’s the end of the year, so maybe someone will call me after the New Year~" and then it actually happened. I think I didn't sleep properly for about two days afterward.

Plus, since we’re on the same label, I think I’m (probably) allowed to mention this—I absolutely love the series I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!. It’s a work that had a huge influence on this one, so being able to publish under the same label made me about 1.5 times happier! Being on the same shelf as a series I admire is a huge ego boost, you know?

Let’s talk a little about the content of the book too! This first volume focuses on the progress between Jeralt and Cynthia, but my personal favorite characters are actually Lawrence and Victor. Male friendship is great, isn't it?! I love characters who are a bit unhinged, so I really enjoy the interactions between Jeralt and Victor.

Other characters to highlight would be Cynthia and Margaret, I suppose. Cynthia and Margaret were the two powerhouses who dominated the character popularity polls on the web.

When I first started posting this on the web, I was actually busy grinding an event in a mobile game. Even though I knew I wouldn't have time to write or even log in, I started the serialization without a shred of a plan. At that point, I only had three chapters stockpiled, and I figured the event would end right as I ran out of buffer.

However, a problem arose: at that point, the character of "Margaret" (both her design and her name) didn't even exist in my head yet. (For context, Margaret makes her first appearance in Chapter 4 on the web.) Looking back, it was incredibly down-to-the-wire and impulsive. But seeing Margaret’s popularity explode far beyond what I expected made me very happy. I hope you look forward to her future exploits!

As for Cynthia, I had her concept figured out from the start, so she was easy to write. Blonde, a princess, serious, and speaks formally. She’s a classic archetype, and she’s a lot of fun to write! The color illustrations Ui-sensei drew are incredible, aren't they? I haven't seen the final versions yet as I write this, but even the rough sketches were amazing. I’ll keep it brief before I sound like a creep, but... they’re really good. I hope you enjoy seeing where her journey takes her! She’s cute, isn't she? The Princess Knight and her master.

As for Mia, she’s a brand-new character making her debut in the light novel version, so I’ll keep her details under wraps for now! I want the web readers to be able to experience her with a fresh perspective too!

Now that I’ve said what I wanted to say, time for the acknowledgments.

First, to the readers who have supported me since the web version—it is undoubtedly thanks to you that I’ve made it this far! To those who have followed me from the web and to the new readers who picked up this book, I feel that giving you the best story possible is the greatest way I can repay you, so I will continue to give it my all. Let’s resolve everything I couldn't finish on the web and complete this history together! Thank you so much!

To my editor, H-sama: I have nothing but words of gratitude. Due to various circumstances, I caused a lot of trouble and worry, but thanks to you, I managed to pull through. You’re very easy to talk to, and you’ve been a huge help!

Next, to everyone at Overlap and everyone involved in the publication. You cared for me more than I—an airhead who doesn't think about anything—cared for myself, looking after my schedule and my mental health. It is thanks to Overlap that I am able to chase these two huge rabbits to my heart’s content! I’ve given this year everything I had so I would have no regrets! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

And to everyone who picked up this book: thank you so much! If I ever become a "big name" in the future, you’ll be able to boast about being an "OG fan!" (Though I’m not sure if that actually gets you anything...) Jokes aside, if reading this made you smile even a little, then that is my greatest wish as Kazuki Sano. Reality is harsh and painful, so I want you to at least be able to have a good time within the pages of a story!

Finally, to Ui-sensei, who handled the illustrations. I fell in love with a single illustration you posted on X at first sight, and I immediately asked my editor to reach out. I was so happy when it was decided we would work together. I love your soft, warm, and gentle art style. Due to an irregular schedule, I’m writing this afterword before seeing all the final illustrations, so it’s hard to give specific examples, but the character designs and roughs were already peak quality. I know for a fact that future-me is going to be grinning like an idiot while looking at the final art. In every character and illustration, you exceeded my expectations by a mile, to the point where I thought, "Maybe I shouldn't even speak up? Does Ui-sensei understand these characters better than I do...?" On the day I first got the character designs, I spent the whole day just staring at them! Thank you so much!

Lastly, I hope you all stay healthy and enjoy your 'Kukkoro' life. May the blessings of the Kukkoro God be upon you!

See you in the next volume! Bye-bye!