Continues on from Epilogue

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Afterword

Dear readers, how do you feel about the climax in this eighth volume? I’m Shiki Mizuchi. Although the manuscript was completed in early February, I had a rest due to exhaustion for some time, but I have been resurrected like a phoenix and am doing my best to create the next volume.

In this volume, following the unprecedented crisis in the Academy City, not only has Prince Uriel officially made his move, but some nostalgic characters have also appeared. I wonder if many readers would have totally forgotten about the young nobleman (laughs). In fact, according to my original plans, the eighth volume was supposed to be a light story to give a bit of breathing room. The content of it probably would have been a romantic comedy revolving around ‘the hospital life of Ash and the heroines who travel there under the guise of a hospital visit’.

However, following the recommendation of editor Shoji-san, I replaced the preview in the afterword of the seventh volume with ‘Will the Knight Country face its biggest crisis?’. Although this led to a sharp increase in the creative difficulty of the eighth volume, I also tried my best to break through my own limits! Shoji-san once talked about the creative secrets behind this in the Q&A column of the daily digital news site ‘MANTANWEB’ (the article ‘Light Novel Questionnaire’ on the 2nd of March, 2012). If you are interested, please check it out!

Major announcement — the beautiful manga has been released! That’s right, another volume of RAN-sensei’s manga version of [Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi] has finally been published! After the first volume was published simultaneously half a year ago alongside the original work (volume six), the second volume of the manga has been published simultaneously with the eighth volume of the original work this time. I am truly grateful for the synchronised release schedule. Readers, please be sure to enjoy RAN-sensei’s illustrations!

Next are the acknowledgements. First off is editor Shoji-san who I mentioned gave me a push of support. If not for your suggestions, I’m afraid that the content of the eighth volume would have developed into a very different plot, so I am deeply grateful. In future, if I am ever hesitant or indecisive, please do not hesitate to push me hard!

Shimesaba Kohada-sensei, Mirabel’s cover made me fall in love at first sight! I’m entranced! I’m in love! You provide so many illustrations that exceed my expectations every time, so I am deeply grateful! I am really looking forward to the character design for the new character in the next volume.

RAN-sensei, thank you for all your hard work with preparing the manga version for release. The monthly serialisation has finally reached the climax of the original work’s second volume, and I will continue to follow it with anticipation.

A few days ago, I was fortunate enough to be able to see the unreleased character design of ‘Avdocha’, and I couldn’t help but feel elated by her cute appearance. Shindosha, I am truly happy that the cover of the [Seikoku] was included in [Anime, Comics, Light Novel and Game Designers Collection] which was published in December last year. Something else that surprised me was that the [Seikoku] cover was placed in the same column as those from [OreImo] and [Kore wa zombie desu ka?]. Both of those are considered to be super-popular works that represent the current light novel world! Please take care of me from now on.

Staff in the editorial and sales departments, distributors, and overseas translation staff…thanks to your support, I have been able to complete the eighth volume. Finally, to all of my readers who have continued to encourage me, thank you so very much! The plot will be pushed toward wave after wave of new heights, so please wait patiently for the next volume!

Well then, let us meet again next time. In the next volume — the showdown against Uriel finally begins!?

April 2012, Shiki Mizuchi

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