Whether picking up this book was the first time you read this story, or you first read the web novel and decided to read the published version after, thank you for reading. This was my first time turning part of a web novel into a single volume, so there were many unexpected and difficult things that I didn’t realize I would have to make decisions on. (In hindsight, it’s very obvious that I’d need to.)
I don’t think I made very many typos. There’s a place to report typos on the site where I upload the web novel, and a lot of my readers were kind enough to point them out to me. It’s a very useful feature that makes me wonder if it should really be this easy for the writer. My readers also told me many things I didn’t know or had forgotten.
As for the difficulties, well, first was figuring out how to request the illustrations. Naturally, I needed to give instructions for the characters’ appearances, but that meant giving every last detail, from the clothes to the hairstyles. We also needed to discuss the backgrounds and the positioning of the characters.
That’s super obvious, right? It would be scary if someone could just know exactly what I was picturing in my head without me saying anything. But it was really difficult. How could I explain it better than what I had already written in the novel? By drawing a picture? Don’t ask the impossible of me. Apparently, it’s common to find pictures on the internet that look like what you want, to help give an idea. But then the next problem is that it’s not that easy to find the right images.
“I’ll leave the rest to you. You definitely have a better sense for these things than I do, Fujiazuki-sensei.”
I used to work in a design-related workplace, so I knew that there are a lot of clients who will leave it to the artist and then complain afterward... Yes, including me. But most of the sketches were perfect as they were and needed no changes. I expected nothing less. With such beautiful illustrations in front of me, I was filled with excitement. Isn’t the miniature Levvy extremely adorable?
The next difficulty I had was thinking of a name for the series. The web novel was originally just called Tensei shita node kondo wa nagaiki shitai (Now That I’ve Reincarnated, I Want to Live a Long Life). There was a time when I just wanted to write the story of Deir dying young due to poor health, receiving the blessing of the Spirit King in this new world, developing a habit of exercising every day from a young age, growing up into a beautiful woman, and then falling in love with a wonderful man. I think a lot of authors share the experience of their beginning and ending remaining the same but the journey between deviating from the original plan.
I’d considered changing the name for quite some time, but I just couldn’t come up with anything, and even once it was decided that the series would be published, I still couldn’t magic up a new name. I discussed it with my editor for more than three months, exchanging possible ideas, and then in the end...
“I’ll leave it to you. I have no idea anymore.”
I shoved it onto my editor. What was I thinking?
It was thanks to my kind readers, my kind illustrator, and my kind editor that this book was finished. Thank you all so much.
Wait. I’m starting to feel like I didn’t contribute much at all in the end.