Hello! For those who don’t know me, I’m Hyogo Amagasa. Thank you so much for reading Lacey Longs for Freedom: The Dawn Witch’s Low-Key Life after Defeating the Demon King!
This series was published on the Shosetsuka ni Naro website. It’s been adapted into novel form after winning the gold medal in the 7th Overlap Web Novel Awards.
The protagonist, Lacey, is the country’s greatest mage and has been chosen to defeat the Demon King. She and her companions surmount various challenges and set out to vanquish the Demon King...but that’s already over. This book tells the story of what happens afterward.
I enjoy books, of course, but I also love video games, manga, and anime. I’ve been completely obsessed with these stories since I was a kid, and in particular, I loved to read epics where the hero defeated the Demon King over and over. Too many times to count, I imagined what might happen after his chaotic journey was over—the stories that weren’t included within the pages. The hero might remain in the country, or he might go on a journey. It would be nice if he could live freely. This was the thought that led me to create the “Dawn Witch Lacey.”
On a different subject, when I finish reading other people’s works, I happily think, Wow, that was really enjoyable! I had a great time reading that! But at the same time, I get really sad...because I can’t read that fantastic work for the first time again!
You may be wondering what I mean by this. Once I’ve experienced one great story, that’s one less great story in the world that I’ve never experienced before. I wish that I could erase my memory and go back to enjoy it with a clean slate, but obviously that’s not possible. I always break down thinking, Agh, I read it... I wanted to read more, but there’s no more to read... But I definitely still feel a profound happiness while and after reading those stories. I get to experience them again for a second or third time, and that brings new things to look forward to. I hope that my stories can be like that for somebody one day.
On one final note, I’d like to use this space to say thanks.
To the Overlap editing department and my editor in charge, H: thank you so much for your thorough guidance. To Kyouichi, who made the book more vivid and provided wonderful illustrations that conveyed the delightfulness of Lacey and her friends: I’m immeasurably grateful to have worked with you. Lastly, to the readers: I was able to continue writing thanks to all of your support. I look forward to when we can meet again.
—Hyogo Amagasa