Afterword
Editor: “Let’s add chapter titles.”
Taka: “No one cares about those anyway. Thinking of chapter titles is always a chore. Besides, do you even have the time for that when we’re always working until the last minute?”
Editor: “Let’s think of an English title for the book.”
Taka: “Whatever, I don’t care.” (Visibly unmotivated.)
Editor: “Let’s think of a subtitle for volume 2.”
Taka: “Thinking of those is always... [omitted].”
Editor: “Wait, why are you dumping so many lines to revise this close to the deadline?!”
Taka: “I wanted to polish up the quality a little. Good luck!”
...My editor sure is a patient man. It makes my egoism stand out in comparison.
With that said, it’s been a while, everyone. This is Takayama Seiichi speaking. Thanks to your support, Volume 1’s sales have been quite favorable, so we were able to bring you the next volume. Thank you so very much.
This series’s title includes “Hyakuren,” a word to which I ascribe quite a few meanings and interpretations. In the first volume, I focused on the meaning “well trained in many fields.” As for this second volume... Well, I’ll let you read and find out for yourselves.
But seriously, this time was a real challenge.
Up to now, I’d always started writing the next volume before the previous one was released. But this time, we decided we would only continue publication depending on Volume 1’s sales, and we only got the go-ahead after it had sold out.
Here I was, thinking nonchalantly that Volume 2 would only come out four months from now, in December.
But my patient editor then told me, “It’s a bit of a tight schedule, but we’re releasing it three months from now, in November.”
And all I could think was, “Are you serious?!”
He knows I hardly ever meet my deadlines, but he still came to me with this absurd demand.
Damn it! After three years, he finally sees me for the slacker I am! I worked hard! I worked real hard! And this is my record for largest page count, to boot! Makes me wanna pat myself on the back.
Well, when it comes to creative work, the quality tends to rely more on the creator’s motivation, passion, and enthusiasm, than on the length of time devoted to the production process itself. We live in a world where it’s common for a work that’s done in three weeks to be more polished than one that was done in three months.
Somehow I got into the right mood for writing Volume 2 (which is how I even finished it in time!), and I’m fairly pleased with how it came out. It’ll make me happy if you’ll enjoy it, my dear readers.
Well, time to give some thanks.
To my editor: as always, we were cutting it close to the deadline, but I’m not apologizing this time, lol. But thank you for all your help! I really am grateful.
To my illustrator Yukisan, thank you for your many cool and cute illustrations! I look forward to your work on the next volume.
I extend my thanks to all parties that were involved in the production of this volume! And my deepest gratitude to all you readers who picked up this book! Nothing would make me happier than knowing you enjoyed it.
And as for next volume, finally! At long last! That girl should finally get more chances to shine! That’s right, the girl that hasn’t appeared on the cover art despite being there since Volume 1, even though Linnea has been on the cover twice already.
Look forward to it! I hope I can meet you all again in Volume 3!
Seiichi Takayama
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