Chapter 127

Afterword Good morning, afternoon, and evening, woof! It’s been a while! It really has been a while… Even with these Inumajin eyes, I could not predict that this would take an entire year to publish. There’s been a lot going on. My health has been pretty bad this entire year, and then when I decided to write something new to take a breather, they made that into a book, too. Thankfully, that work is selling extremely well, but as I was breathlessly panting to write the two works at the same time, another publishing company requested work from me… I’m sorry! Please don’t throw anything! Especially not rocks! It’s all the fault of my own naive schedule management. Please don’t throw stones. Still, I am incredibly grateful that this book made it safely into your hands. With the deadline was fast approaching—and just as I thought I might make it—I suffered a significant injury (which has fully healed by now). When I started having to write with just one hand, I almost gave up—it would be impossible! But thanks to my editor, K-san, whose delicate round-the-clock management squeezed out as much time as possible, I somehow made it. Truly, thank you so much. I think normally, I would have made it. Talk about incredibly skilled editors, eh? In any case, this seventh volume marks the end of Woof Woof Story. I don’t have the words to properly express my gratitude to everyone for reading the entire thing. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with the story for three whole years. (Leaving aside that one blank year!) The books are now complete, but I plan to write a new “everyday” kind of story on the web. It’ll probably be a slow-paced short story about Routa eating delicious food, playing with Lady Mary, and provoking Zenobia, and it probably won’t have a real ending, but please, check it out if you’d like. I believe you’ll find it right away if you google “Inumajin.” The advertisements go on, and I apologize for that, but it’s just one more. Kadokawa Books is now selling my new work, A Saint? No, She’s a Passing Beastmaster! ~The Absolutely Invincible Saint Has a Soft, Fluffy Journey! It’s a story about a girl who is incredibly strong and smart, but likes soft, fluffy things so much that she goes a little crazy sometimes. Everyone’s saying the soft, fluffy black demon lord is way too cute. Please pick it up if you wish. It’s still only on the second volume, so I think it will be easy to catch up on. I believe the third volume will be released in January. Probably. I’m pretty sure. Maybe. Have faith in my future health. Please don’t throw rocks at me! A seriously good comic adaptation just came out the other day, courtesy of Toi Iida-sensei as well! I highly recommend it! …Well, that’s strange. Despite it being the last volume, this doesn’t feel like a parting of ways at all. I wanted to make this more pensive, but it seems that’s impossible for this author. The story of Routa and the others will probably keep going at its lazy, enjoyable pace. I’d like to be reborn into another world and be raised by a rich young lady, but it seems I need to defeat this heap of totally white paper first. Damn. Lastly, I’d like to give some words of thanks. First, to my editor, K-san, whom I kept telling I’d write the next one according to schedule for sure, and managed to deceive right up until this last volume. It wasn’t on purpose! My health! It was suffering! Also, that new game! Ghost of Tsushima! It’s too good! Oh, I got it—a new book! I’ll bring you a really interesting new book! And then I’ll definitely do it according to schedule, for sure this time! (A promise I definitely feel won’t be kept) Next, my thanks to Kochimo-san, who drew all the beautiful, adorable illustrations for every book. I’m honored to have been able to work with you! It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that thanks to your depictions of so many characters bursting with such life, Woof Woof Story was half you. Actually, it might be more than half—maybe around seventy percent. Or eighty… Wait, that would mean my sentences are worth… (insert the author here, turning into salt and dispersing) Next, to kiki koikuchi-sensei, who is drawing the comic adaptation. I never thought I’d have a friend who also came in behind schedule, again… Birds of a feather really do flock together… I’m truly looking forward to the new volume! Then, to everyone in the editing department. The designers. The proofreaders. The managers. The store clerks. Woof Woof Story managed to be completed because of the support you and many others gave. I deeply thank you. And most of all, I give a heartfelt thanks to you—the ones who stuck around until the final volume! I eagerly look forward to being able to meet you again somewhere! So long! July 2020 Inumajin