Afterword: Reflections from Memallang
Hello, this is Memallang. This story, which I wrote over what felt like a long yet short time, has finally come to an end. There were plenty of good moments and tough ones while writing it, but for the first time, I'm actually scared to type these words.
First and foremost, thank you to everyone who read this flawed story all the way to the end. No matter what, the fact that you stuck with it means the world to me as the writer. But I also want to apologize. There are probably many of you who felt disappointed midway through or at the very end. And even to those who found it somewhat enjoyable, I owe an apology. A few months before writing the final episode, these thoughts started creeping in. I wondered how to write this afterword, but in the end, I decided to just jot down what I wanted to say to wrap things up physically and emotionally. Readers will judge it however they see fit, regardless of what I say.
Truthfully, I'm not even worthy of being called a web novel author. I'm better now than before, but back then, it was even worse. I might as well admit I knew nothing about web novels despite claiming to write one. What do I mean? I'm an idiot. And by that, I mean I'm sick—infected with what I call "author disease," or maybe "artist syndrome." I was incredibly arrogant. Through this story, I tried to "tell" readers something. Cursed with author disease, I thought I had to infuse meaning into the writing and convey it to people.
You might say, "You had those thoughts while writing this?" Yeah, it's just a light mix of academy and gallery tropes. And you're right. My skills weren't up to it, so it ended up a mess of shortcomings instead of a message. That was my initial plan: start light, mix in familiar fun elements, then gradually slip in the message I wanted to share. "This'll be a masterpiece," I thought—now it sounds stupid, arrogant, childish. But that approach didn't fit, especially for a web novel. I couldn't even deliver the message properly.
As I wrote, I learned something crucial: readers don't pick up my story to hear my thoughts or message. They just want something fun to enjoy—like daily web novel episodes, stress-free, short-form entertainment to consume lightly. Of course I was the fool. I started off advertising it as "brain-off gallery + academy fun," then suddenly loaded the back half with heavy stuff and "meaning." No wonder readers felt let down when it didn't match expectations. And it wasn't even entertaining. Turns out, I just suck at writing.
I got a lot of complaints and learned from them. I knew the whole plot, but readers get one episode a day—if the frustration doesn't resolve within it, it's aggravating. If the protagonist acts dumb, it's frustrating too. Those "sweet potato" episodes... basically, web novel grammar, right? The conventions readers expect: how the protagonist should act, episode pacing, etc. I wrote a web novel without knowing what makes one tick. I'd read some, but not a ton. I preferred classics, scripts, famous fantasy novels.
Then I strutted out claiming I'd write a web novel—with zero skill. I did study: "Web novels need this." But you only learn the real stuff by serializing. So I wrote with an author-diseased mindset. Fans expecting web novel fun found it frustrating. I realized: better to stick to predictable pleasure, even if it's called one-note, than twist plots poorly. My story didn't feel like a web novel at all. Poor writing skills too. But since I'd started, I thought, "Let's finish as originally planned." I'd set the ending from day one—changing midstream seemed harder.
So I pushed through with author disease. Learn from it, write something better next time. That's what happened. The story ended as I envisioned. Some might think, "The ending's trash." It is exactly what I planned, but my skills failed to convey it well. Some might hate the protagonist ditching everything for ordinary student life. Fair points—all up to you. I didn't write a story; I shat out my inner thoughts onto the page.
But readers don't want that from web novels—they're for fun, not idiocy. Even I skip tough web novels; for that, read philosophy or classics. Yeah, I'm the idiot. But no more shitting from now on. This was my "let's shit till the end" experiment—I learned tons. My next work, Medieval Fantasy Gunslinger, is pure light fun, almost clickbait. Events pop up, hero solves 'em awesomely, climbs ranks—easy mode. Maybe it's therapy for my author disease.
I've seen comments like, "People read this crap?" on always-ranked novels. That's my goal. I've gotten those already: "Writers like this should die; let 'em starve to learn." Haha. Intended it, but it stung. "Die..." Still, future works will have flaws. I'll improve, take the sweet abuse.
I wasn't gonna explain the message, but here goes—about the ending. Hate explaining your own ending, but I've taken enough heat; this was a learning exercise, so spill it. I plotted start to finish for reasons, but some'll call it garbage anyway. Thanks, you're right—my diseased, unskilled self wrote it. Some might say, "If that's the message, don't write it this way." Also right—lacked skill for convincing plot/characters. Just my ramblings.
The protagonist, Kim Mergeul, is a loser who stumbles into the Great Archmage Gallery before regaining memories. The Gallery sticks with him from start to finish. I wanted a story centered on him and the gallery members. Inspiration came from someone close—a classic hikikomori, community addict: skips real life, vents online from the screen. Not hating communities like the Gallery—it's the negative archetype.
Seeing them sparked it: a tale of healthy gallery-ing. Our loser protag grows with Gallery help. Members always aid him (minus that one Granjeel troll arc). Wanted to show anonymous communities' upsides. Gallery archmages earned entry through real-world truth quests—hard effort. Protagonist? Dad hands him all truths at birth, gallery access freebie.
My acquaintance always "knows": comments on foreign corp posts like "They never hire Koreans anyway." Seems all-knowing online, but IRL skips even part-time jobs. Talks big about earning, but when? Anyway—not all about money. Point: effortless truths vs. earned ones. Like desk knowledge vs. field experience.
Protagonist hits Truth of All Things, universe-master. Ditches it for ignorant student life. Now he'll grind reality like other members, reach truths anew, rejoin Gallery properly. Effortless gallery = unhealthy; hard-earned = healthy. Discarding Akashic Records symbolizes needing real grind for healthy vibes. (He did train 8888 cycles, but maybe values blind-earned truths more.)
That's the gist. Many'll still hate it—my fault, poor execution. Plenty more I meant, but no more analysis. Thanks for reading to the end, especially if you enjoyed it. I wrote diseased, felt flaws mid-way, but stuck to plan. Own the result. Next one's shit-free, fun-focused. Archmage Muggle and Gunslinger differ big-time.
Now, Q&A to wrap up. Glad you asked—feared none would.
Q1. Was Professor Jeweri's exit intentional?
A. Yes. Never planned as a heroine.
Q2. Do any archmages marry?
A. Can't-Do-This-Either and Magic Isn't Hard do, others unknown.
Q3. Rushed ending due to author issues?
A. Not rushed—no issues. Wrote as planned. But might feel abrupt. Expected ~300 eps. After saving Judak's dimension, gaining realms/fruit, planned dimension-hopping, regaining power, meeting other gonics. Felt too loose/drifting, so trimmed to Gallery assemble for finale. Not author-forced; just cut episodes—ending feels hasty. +Fruit was for that arc, unused.
Q4. About the timeline reveal at end.
A. Ties to above. Thought multiverse, but one universe/multiple timelines—meant to unfold in cut gonic arcs. Trimmed, so protagonist's memories explain poorly. Same-timeline hints: subjugation fest honors past Wandering Battle Mage; gonics/protag notice familiar terrain cross-dimensions. Not major, so light touches. Reason: even "absolute" Father is just one universe mage. "Truth of All Things" might have higher truths. More worlds with Father-likes? Our reality a simulation...? That vibe.
Q5. Regaining circles restores memories?
A. No—Akashic Records liberated universe-wide. But could recollect/reassemble for 8888th self. Up to him rejoining Gallery—members remember Kim Mergeul.
Q6. Why drop Tower-Climbing Blacksmith? Re-serialize?
A. On hold. Same reasons—I was a shitter forcing meaning. Now studying web novels for fun. Blacksmith tough. But love it—will write someday, maybe revised. (Someone write it for me? Here's my outline.)
Q7. Heroines?
A. Mains: Hisena, Elrim, Cha Yuri. Subs: Lee Soo-ah, Yuuna, Harisa, hidden dragon girl. Mains get yas; subs less. Heroine screentime faded—harem troubles, huh. Many said heroines unappealing, focus story; bad 19+ reactions; "Author's a virgin?" Ouch. Confidence tanked. Next skips harem tag—minimal. Readers voice opinions; I absorb all alone—tough. Subs confidence hit.
Q8. Side stories? Yas?
A. No story sides planned. But skipped heroine tales, head disciple watermelon 19+, dragon girl scenes, departed Prof Jeweri's zap-zap, final main trio group 19+—planned as sides. Sub progress too. But per above, on hold. Learning my flaws first. Thanks all for reading I Became a Genius Muggle in the Archmage Gallery. Sorry and grateful. Even this rambling afterword—thanks. Be happy everyone!