Rakuin no Monshou

Volume 11, Afterword

Now then.

This is a space in which the author should talk about something.

But I can’t just start idly rambling about this and that.

“Rakuin no Monshou” will end in the next volume. Please look forward to what kind of ending we are approaching.

Hmm, well. Having said what I wanted to, what can I fill this blank space with?

Times like these call for that: the ‘when-in-trouble, bring-out-old-files’ technique.

And close at hand – which is to say, on my laptop’s hardrive – I have a text file named “Kingdom Series Composition”. It is a rough outline for the series that I made right before I started the seriously writing for “Rakuin” (whose provisional title at the time was “Shadow Kingdom”). Although, since there was also the possibility that it might not be popular and thus immediately get cancelled, I really had no idea how many volumes it would be, so it is a really short document. And what it contains is...

Volume 1: Orba vs. the Garberan rebels. The main course of events concerns the interactions between the gladiator-turned-crown-prince Orba and Princess Vileena.

Volume 2: Mainly about Orba and Vileena at the royal palace. (And about Guhl’s schemes?) While trying to find out about his brother, Orba deliberately murders Oubary out of rage. Because of that, Orba’s situation at the palace reaches a crisis point but... Meanwhile, with its sorcerers at the centre of things, Ende is preparing to start a large-scale war.

Volume 3: Vs. Ende. After somehow or another blocking the emperor’s moves, Orba, through Vileena’s intervention, gets Garbera’s army to move and catches Ende in a two-pronged attack. The war is ended when the prince of Ende who is to become the next Grand Duke admonishes the sorcerers and gathers the country behind him. Signature of a triple alliance.

Originally, it was a file for my own reference only, and although there are parts where the language kind of fails, but well, please enjoy. Looking at it now, it seems like I was thinking along the lines of “At any rate, let’s aim to finish a first part in three volumes.” If by that time it had gotten popular enough, I was planning on stirring up interest by saying “Orba’s fight has only just begun!” No, I wasn’t being irresponsible. It’s the law of the jungle. Survival of the fittest. The losers leave quietly. Yep.

Thinking about it again, I can’t help but feel surprised: seriously, this series actually went over ten volumes. Since this is also thanks to Mr. 3’s robust illustrations and Dengenki Bunko’s amazing advertising power, I don’t feel that this is my achievement alone, but even so, if you, the readers, keep the name “Sugihara Tomonori” in a corner of your hearts, then I would be deeply grateful.

...Honestly, it really looks as though I’m suddenly bringing things to an end right here, but the critical point for the author actually starts here. At the same time as Orba cuts through the situation with his ingenuity and his sword, the author will be tapping away at his keyboard and filling the white screen on his laptop with written words. When thinking that this series will end in the next volume, I can’t deny feeling some strong emotions, but honestly, I can’t afford to indulge in that sentimentality right now. Today again, let’s head off once more to that other world, to breathe the same air as Orba and Vileena, and feel the same wind against my face.

Well then.

I look forward to the day that I can meet you all again in the afterword to the final volume.

--Sugihara Tomonori