Newcomers and old faces alike, thank you for reading. I cannot begin to express my gratitude at having made it to publishing volume 3. This volume marks a major turning point in the story, so I am really glad we made it this far.
“Wow. You’re as stiff and formal as they said, huh?”
Gah?! Is this a repeat of the nightmare from volume 2?! Who are you?!
“A nightmare? How rude. I’m everyone’s beloved princess, Lalaya. Nice to meet you.”
Oh wow, you’re the last person I would have expected. I thought you were that self-proclaimed angelic little devil again.
“Oh, he wasn’t able to make it. Now that he’s taken an actual interest in succession, the former prime minister won’t let Carolus out of his sight.”
Hooray! Serves him right. I hope he grows up well.
“I agree. He’s been quite the scoundrel lately, so you have my sympathies. He gave me a message for you, by the way. ‘Make sure you write more scenes for me!’ There, I’ve done my job.”
Uh...okay. So, what is someone as busy as the king’s own sister doing here?
“I am the sister of the king, a princess who loves and is loved by the people. Therefore, I have come to put the wondering hearts of the people at ease. However, I am busy, so let’s speed through these.”
Question 1: Where did Misha go?
Wow, right to the point, huh? She’s gone on a journey back to the village of the People of the Forest with her uncle. She’ll meet all sorts of people on her way. Expect the fantasy aspects of the story to start growing stronger. It will all be a good experience for her as an apothecary.
Question 2: Isn’t calling people as skilled as the People of the Forest “apothecaries” underselling them?
Well, they began as apothecaries, and so they continue to call themselves that, but in truth they are a group of various medical experts. Long ago, there wasn’t much difference between a doctor and an apothecary. There was even a time when barbers would serve as surgeons. They follow a similar line of reasoning.
Question 3: Will we ever return to Redford?
Uh...that is definitely going to be a spoiler if I give any details, so I’ll just say, “Yes” and leave it at that.
Question 4: The title of the series is The Tiny Witch from the Deep Woods, but...
Wait, stop! We can’t keep going! We don’t have the space for any more questions! I’m sure all of your concerns will be answered as the story continues, so I’d be happy if you come along to cheer Misha on in her adventure!
I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Mr. Yoh Hihara for all of the wonderful illustrations he produced for this volume. They’ve become an indispensable source of motivation for my writing. I look forward to what you have for us in the next volume.
Thank you to my supervisor for all the ideas you gave me for short stories. I’m sorry for being so unreasonable. You’ve really helped me.
Thank you to my family for being so patient with me while I let my deadlines drive me into a mad panic.
And thank you, dear readers, for coming with me this far. I hope we can continue to watch Misha grow together.
Yanagi