Afterword

Nowadays, I have been writing while going to and leaving the office together with my friends. Since I cannot write well at home, let’s write while outside of home, with that thought in mind, I made a mutual understanding. After leaving for work at 7AM and typing away at the typewriter, just at the moment when I felt delighted because of the fact that I am able to write better here than when I am at home, a sudden realization came to be a step late: I started writing because I didn’t like commuting every day to a company, but isn’t this no different to working at a company······?

However, realization has always been something that came late to me, and since I have already made a contract, I have no other choice but to continue this office life for at least 1 year. For that reason, this is an afterword that is being typed out much after the main text.

First things first, my grat.i.tude towards the ill.u.s.trator of 〈Dungeon Defense〉, cocorip. And also my unstinted worship and praise. Although I always contemplate on what I should write in the afterword, there is a single thing that does not require any thought, and that is my compliments towards cocorip. That’s because, similar to how we don’t hesitate whenever we write self-evident facts like ‘1+1=2’, my fingers do not waver even slightly whenever I write praises about cocorip’s ill.u.s.trations. Although cocorip’s color ill.u.s.trations and monochrome ill.u.s.trations have always been top-tier since a long time ago, the ill.u.s.trations in volume 4 almost felt as if they were pointing at the other ill.u.s.trations until now and emanating a last boss-like dignity while uttering “That was not merazoma. It was a mera······.”. Since even the weather and scenery, which should be difficult to express in a black and white ill.u.s.tration, were done perfectly, I am contemplating on whether I should go and make a religion where we worship the ill.u.s.trator. Even if I don’t particularly spread the belief, there are already several believers among the other authors who have gathered so it’s not impossible. Ah, oh mighty G.o.d! Please continue to look after me.(TL note: ‘Merazoma’ and ‘Mera’ are skills from Dragon Quest. Merazoma being the stronger version of Mera)

An audio drama CD is being released along with this volume 4. The events that happen in the drama CD occurs around 1 month before Laura De Farnese gives her speech. Since it was my first time working on an audio drama, I was watching the voice actors/voice actresses, musicians, and directors working on scene, with antic.i.p.ation. Compared to other audio dramas, I tried writing the script with a feeling that’s close to that of a general comedy, but if other people were all able to enjoy the recording process, then I couldn’t be any happier. Voice actor Nam Dohyeong who played the role of Dantalian, voice actress Jeong Hyaewon who played the role of Laura De Farnese, and voice actress Kim Chaeha who played the role of Lapis Lazuli, thank you all for your hard work!

As expected, the opening song and the ending song that were included with the audio drama were splendid beyond description. Although the two songs have a different feeling to them, I believe that they both magnificently have an aspect of contained within them. (The ending song, , was even sung pa.s.sionately by the voice actor Nam Dohyeong, during the Anime Sound Festival!)

I express my thanks to the director, singer, voice actors/voice actresses, composers, lyricists, production director, design director, and the editor who was able to connect all of this together.

This ma.n.u.script was late beyond imagination. The responsibility for the late ma.n.u.script is completely on me. I thought that I would be able to complete the ma.n.u.script by September, but what’s this? It became late and late again and at some point, it had become December. During even September, October, and November, I asked the editorial department if they could wait a bit longer······, and on all such occasions, my editor waited patiently. I have no excuse for this delay that lasted for no less than 3 months. I can only feel apologetic towards the editor that is in charge of me.

The last people who I wish to thank is, just like always, you readers.

As I mentioned earlier, the ma.n.u.script for volume 4 was postponed several times. Despite that, towards the readers who waited, picked this book up, and read all the way to this point, I can only say that I am sorry for the late release and also that if you were able to have even the slightest bit of an enjoyable read, then it is a relief······. Thank you. Just the thought of volume 01 to volume 04 of being placed in a row on one of my reader’s bookshelf, fills me with deep jovial thought. As much as how the days of commuting to an office will continue for me, I will endeavor to release the next volume faster than the previous ones.