Chapter 36

AFTERWORD I’m glad I managed to deliver Volume 2 of my story to all of you. Thank you all so, so much for picking it up. As we look back over it, let’s discuss the characters who stole the show this time. 1. Deadrim The Ghost who serves as the crux of this particular story. Volume 1 introduced Air, Alec, and Kirlilith, and now Deadrim assumes the role of the fourth Ghost. Her concept is “a wild katana-wielding girl.” I initially only thought of her long, black hair and katana, but after I finished the script, I imagined her with a cute ribbon. TEDDY drew her with one, even though I never said anything about it. I swear, TEDDY really gets me! 2. Isuna Deadrim’s childhood friend…and likely the most pitiable character in this volume. His concept is “an alternate version of Rain.” He’s a serious, earnest man with impressive skills who always works hard, yet never gets rewarded. Still, the fact that he doesn’t give up makes him a true hero (in my humble opinion, at least). 3. Kreis She may seem like a nasty person based on the events of Volume 2, but she’s actually a good woman at heart. It’s just that she’s been involved in many life-or-death struggles over the years and has experienced her fair share of bitter failures, so she forces herself to don a harsh persona. Her concept is “a mom who’s strict around her daughter’s boyfriend.” Like, break up with that loser already! Air is her old friend and comrade, but she kind of treats her like a poorly disciplined daughter. 4. Kaisei Appears in name only, sneaking around and brewing up all sorts of trouble behind the scenes. 5. Athly The secondary heroine of the story, who unfortunately barely appeared in this volume. She should become more central to the plot going forward, though. I would now like to extend my thanks to the good people at the editorial department, TEDDY, Naohiro Washio, and everyone else involved with the making of this book. Volume 2 only got published due to all your hard work. I’m a bit of a flighty person, so your support kept me steady as I wrote. Thank you all so, so much. Also, I’d like to sincerely thank my readers for picking up my books—and this volume in particular. I’d be thrilled if you continued to do so. I hope to see you again soon. Kei Uekawa