Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Magian Company - Volume 3 - Chapter Aft

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Afterword

Here you have it, the third volume of Magian Company.

What did you think? I hope you enjoyed it.

This third volume consists of half Main Story and half Side Stories.

Since "Magian Company" is a sequel to "Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei," there is a continuity in the characters. However, it is not possible to integrate all the characters into the story. And since the narrative takes place in a different setting, it is natural to have some characters who were regulars in the previous series not having the chance to appear in this one. And even when they do have the opportunity to appear, there are cases where the characters have little to do with the main story and thus are not discussed in depth.

The two side stories contained in this third volume are an attempt to fill in these gaps. If this idea does not turn out to be unpopular, I would like to continue to insert these episodes in the volumes in the form of short stories.

I am writing this afterword at the end of July, 2021 A.D. At the moment, the spread of Covid-19 is becoming extremely severe. There has been an explosive growth of infections. I am beginning to really worry about whether this serious situation will be brought under control.

I do not know now whether the vaccine will work or not, or whether a treatment will ever be completed. I do believe that the vaccine used in mass vaccinations in Japan will work, but there is no guarantee that there will not be a mutated variant in the future that the vaccine won't be effective against ── I can't shake this eerie fear.

If the flow of people is really reduced, will the infection slow down? And If this is true, then the students from universities and schools will have to stop their club activities or circle activities and go home as soon as their classes are over. Office workers would go home on time instead of working overtime. Staying secluded at their homes, they would spend their leisure time reading or playing games, watching sports, cartoons and dramas on TV. Online communication becomes the only remaining way to interact with others. ──I would say that this is the ideal lifestyle.

In other words, it was precisely this kind of lifestyle that the otaku had adopted as the ideal way of living in the modern age. According to one theory, the word "otaku" has its origins in a certain anime character who used the second person pronoun "otaku-sama," shortened to "otaku," which became popular among fans. If the meaning of "otaku" is changed to "a person who spends most of his time at home," then undoubtedly the spread of Covid-19 will be brought under control. ──That is, if the reduction in the flow of people really helps to slow down the spreading.

Perhaps Covid-19 might be an opportunity to change the nature of Japanese society. In the big cities, people suffer from crowded trains every morning and evening, while in the countryside there is only one train and one bus every hour, and in some places there are no trains or buses whatsoever. …Well, there are many things I'd like to say about this situation, but I'll stop here. I don't want this to turn into more of a political discussion.

But I believe that if we could extend the range of things that can be done online, we would make great progress towards solving problems associated with things like public transport or road maintenance. I think that if we could do our shopping online, we could really make progress in solving the problem of shopping districts getting shuttered due to a lack of traffic. I have a memory from about 20 years or so ago, of a TV commercial by NTT advertising their optical fiber line. As the physical radius of people’s activities shrinks, I think that it's not all that unlikely to see the resurgence of the "errand boy" culture, where people rely on deliveries from local shops for their daily shopping. If the cashless system continues to advance, the biggest bottleneck of the errand boy business, the problem of money on hand and change, should also be solved.

I hope that we can make use of this national crisis and take things in a positive direction.

Well, leaving those big issues aside, let me tell you what I want to say.

Everyone, let's read a book at home.

…And now, after a self-deprecatory speech (did I get that right?). If all goes according to plan, by the time this book comes out, the schedule for the "Reminiscence Arc" anime should be settled by now. Besides the Reminiscence Arc anime, there will be other announcements concerning the 10th Anniversary Project. Please look forward to it.

The fourth volume will feature the events of Mayumi, Ryousuke and Lina's time in

America, which I deliberately skipped over this time. The story will be set mainly in the western part of America, but rest assured that not only the United States group, but also the group back in Japan will also play an active role.

Also coming up next will be the third volume of "Cygnus Maidens." It might have a slightly different atmosphere from the previous two volumes, but I hope you enjoy it.