Thank you for purchasing the thirteenth volume of A Late-Start Tamer.
Look, there’s an afterword again!
There were no misunderstandings this time! You see, my editors asked me outright to write an afterword. How cruel! They know I don’t like writing afterwords!
And so, once again, I would like to bring in a special guest!
Please help poor me, trapped here in this Afterword Room hell!
“Chirp?”
That’s right! It’s Rick! Yuto’s mascot-slash-guerrilla unit-slash-prank master! Though many of his monsters could be called pranksters!
He’s the squirrel with the sparkly white incisors and bushy tail!
“Chirp chiiirp!”
Wow! Showing off your cuteness, are you? Yeah, wag that tail! You look right at home already! Amazing!
“Chirp chirp chirp!”
Now you’re juggling nuts! Nice trick! Hey, Mr. President, check him out! He’s the best in Japan!
“Chirp chiiirp!”
Whoa! Now you’re juggling five nuts! Great technique! You could earn money doing this! You’re awesome, Rick!
“Chiiirp.”
That was some fine juggling.
“Chirp chirp.”
Huh? What is it? Yes, your tiny hands are very cute.
“Chiiirp!”
Huh? Do you want me to read your palm? No? Don’t tell me, are you asking for payment? You want me to give you something?
“Chirp.”
Oh no! I wasn’t expecting you to be so greedy! But you’re cute, so you can get away with it!
But, you’ll have to forgive me. This is Afterword Room hell. There’s nothing here except my manuscript and my pen. I don’t have a single thing to give you.
“Chiiirp!”
You want me to bring something in from outside of the room? Sorry. I can’t leave here until I finish writing the afterword. If you’ll just stay with me here a little longer—
“Chirp chiiirp!”
Whoa! Hey, don’t throw nuts around inside here!
An acorn ricocheted off the wall and hit me in the butt! Oh no, my glasses are gonna get smashed!
“Chirp chirp!”
It’s useless! These walls are indestructible! They were reinforced after Sakura destroyed them last time!
“Chirp chirp chiiirp!”
Uh-oh, a glowing walnut! We’re screwed if that explodes in this tiny room!
“Chiiiirp!”
Gaaaaah! My clothes! My clothes are singed!
Oh, but now there’s a hole in the wall! We can escape through there! Wooooo! Freedooom!
“Chirp.”
Ah, right. I have to give you something now. How about some boiled peanuts? I can’t get enough of them.
Aaand scene. Thanks to Rick for being the special guest this time.
Did you already figure out that I can only write as many afterwords as there are monsters? Yeah, my editors did too. I know what they’re thinking. We can let this guy stop writing afterwords after he’s used all the monsters...
It’d be nice if I didn’t have to write one next time!
Now for a word of thanks.
To my editors, W-san and I-san. Thank you once again for all your help in the completion of this volume!
To Nardack-sama, your color illustrations were so gorgeous, they moved me to tears!
To my friends and family, everyone involved in the publication of this volume, and the readers—it’s thanks to your support that I can continue to write. I truly thank you.