Afterword and TMI
Afterword and TMI
Hello, dear readers!!
This is MarshmallowU.
I'm truly overjoyed to have completed my first work, the one I've been serializing since my J**** days.
I probably shouldn't mention J**** here, right...??
Anyway.
I'm really, really happy.
I hope this experience becomes good fertilizer for my growth as an author..!!
You know in RPGs, the learning phase of a raid is brutal at first, but once it turns into a weekly chore, it's easy—so finishing a novel probably feels about the same, right!!!!!
If I just leave a short note saying how happy I am it'll be too brief, so I'll jot down some TMI about the story in this afterword too!!
Stuff like the setting details for the Gold-Tanned Incubus!
If you don't want spoilers about the setting or just dislike TMI, please hit the back button!!!!!!
* Story TMI
Actually, the story for the Gold-Tanned Incubus had a completely different concept during the planning stages!!
It was going to be the tale of Luke, who worked at an otherworldly host bar and happened to master hypnosis one day, growing into a hypnotist.
Using the power of hypnosis, he'd become the host bar's ace,
and then he'd meet Bella, the Master of the Adventurer's Guild, and rise to prominence as an adventurer.
The Otherworldly Gold-Tanned Incubus Hypnotist, solving quests with hypnosis!!
Hypnosis....
Using self-hypnosis to strengthen his body or manifest perfect memory abilities.
You see, back when I first conceptualized it, it seemed like a really fun concept.
But when I actually tried to write it, I couldn't wrap my head around the concept and ended up changing course...!
Looking back now, I think writing a hypnotist protagonist could have been pretty fun.
* Character TMI
1. Luke
The protagonist.
I cracked up so much back when I first thought him up.
A G-Gold-Tanned Incubus lolololololololololololololololololol
He's an incubus, but he's also a blonde, tanned delinquent at the same time lololololololololololololololololololol
Since I was writing a harem smut piece, I figured a protagonist like this would let me go really hardcore!!
I thought he had what it took to even bring about the end of the world...!
But when I actually wrote him, the protagonist Luke was surprisingly not villainous at all....
He turned out to be an unexpectedly earnest and fresh protagonist!!
2. Rebecca
I still remember commissioning my very first illustration for Rebecca.
In the early days of serialization, there were times when I'd make about five hundred won a day writing this novel!
Of course, it wasn't profitable, but I really wanted to somehow get an illustration done for the heroine.
In the end, I saved up the money I earned from my part-time job and offered it to an illustrator while placing an order for Rebecca's artwork.
Since it was my first time commissioning an illustration, I was incredibly anxious back then.
You know, what if it comes out completely different from what I imagined...?
That kind of feeling.
But when I actually received the illustration, I was completely satisfied!!!!
I really, really loved it so much.
3. Kate
Kate is a heroine who embodies the author's love-hate feelings.
Because I created her by recalling all sorts of support players I've met while gaming over the years!!
Even in the early J**** serialization days, I went through a lot of mental anguish writing Kate's parts.
When I brought Kate in as a heroine, the reader response was incredibly harsh.
There were a lot of insults in the comments...
Still, she's a heroine who always provided a source of energy for me during this long serialization!
Honestly, having Kate there was what let me have fun writing the story.
4. Wendy
Wendy Mama.
When I was doing the revision, I seriously considered whether to change Wendy's established backstory,
but then a thought suddenly occurred to me.
If you change the fact that she's a Mama, can you still call her Wendy...?
If Mary disappears and her maternal love vanishes,
is that still the same Wendy that you readers loved?
Am I not just creating a completely different heroine wearing Wendy's mask?
In the end, I was ruining the heroine with my own hands...
After all these serious concerns, I ultimately decided to go ahead without changing her backstory.
I wanted to take full responsibility for the character I had created.
I'm sorry for causing confusion with the announcement back then.
5. Bellatrix
She's Bella, the Vice Guild Master of the Adventurer's Guild.
In the actual planning stage, Bella was the first heroine.
If I had stuck with the hypnotist setting, the story would have started with Luke, working at a host bar, running into Bella by chance on the street.
She had a bit of an airhead side to her, which made her a fun character!
6. Delia
Delia!!!!!!!!
When she first appeared, she was a half-elf heroine I was incredibly worried about, but!
I'm so relieved that you readers liked her after seeing the illustrator's wonderful artwork!!
* Serialization TMI
There were a lot of difficulties during the long serialization...
My home environment has always been a total disaster.
There was yelling from the living room, the sound of fighting, insults being shouted.
Whenever my parents would ask, "What exactly do you do every day?"
I was in no position to answer honestly, since I had to hide the fact that I was writing R-rated fiction.
Writing a comedy in a situation straight out of a thriller was an extremely difficult thing to do.
Having to laugh when you're in a situation where you can't laugh was truly tough.
But even so, I'm really, really happy I could write this novel!!!
Sincerely!!!
* A final word
Thank you for reading the Gold-Tanned Incubus to the very end!
I plan to write the side stories slowly, once my health recovers and I have some free time.
Have a great day!!