Afterword
This is your author, Natsume Akatsuki, here. Thank you so much for picking up
Volume 17 of Konosuba.
When in the world did we get to seventeen volumes? I can only bow my head
in gratitude to those who have come all this way with me. I’d like to talk a bit
about this book. If you’re the type who likes to read the afterword first, be
warned that there will be spoilers. You may want to read the book first and
then come back.
Let’s rewind to when Kazuma and the others were hanging around the
Demon King’s castle, trying to collect their runaway goddess.
That’s right about when the detachment from the Demon King’s army would
be attacking Axel. All the adventurers who made not the slightest move to leave
the starter town despite being of high level must have given the monsters a real
run for their money. And the punk adventurer who’s normally in the shadows;
the strange plushie-like guy who is, when you get right down to it, a former
noble and finally decided to act like it; the owner of the magical item shoppe;
and the part-timer who made loads of money off the beautiful, big-chested
receptionist must have gotten plenty punchy, too.
If we were to casually use identification magic on the other town residents,
we might discover a chicken with an inordinately high level and a black cat
whose JOB field reads DARK GODDESS.
Any soldiers of the Demon King who wandered into a certain shop might find
themselves attacked by vegetables from the fields or assaulted by mysterious
poltergeist phenomena.
Over in the capital, the picked troops led by the Demon King’s daughter would
be facing the national army, a bunch of cheat-wielding adventurers, and
Crimson Magic Clan veterans.
Not to mention a certain suit of armor who’d followed the Crimson Magic
Clan members on a whim—because so many of them are beautiful ladies—only
to be shown pictures of the mother of a girl whose name is rather similar to his
and to sense that the girl has an incredible future in store…
Thus the strongest girl, equipped with the strongest armor and the strongest
holy sword, would have partnered with Megumin’s classmates, an Axis disciple,
and one rough adventurer (maybe not quite as problematic a group as
Kazuma’s but still not easy to handle) to challenge the Demon King’s daughter
to a showdown.
After going on a bit of a rampage, the girl would find herself outnumbered
and surrounded, but she would be saved by the sudden weakening of all the
monsters, and the instant realization that a certain someone somewhere had
defeated the Demon King would only make her “brother complex” all the more
severe…
So anyway, there are a few spoilers for you; I don’t think I’ll ever actually
include them in a main-series book, so I’m outlining them here. I guess I might
use them in a spin-off someday if I have the chance, but this particular story is
the tale of how a NEET protagonist with a total-fail party somehow still
manages to come out on top and eventually even defeat the Demon King—and
that story reached its conclusion with this volume.
Having said that, there are still some mysteries and foreshadowing that I
haven’t entirely paid off on. For example, why do the Demon Kings have the
names they do, and why was the Demon King’s army trying to destroy
humanity? Researchers across the world have spent many a sleepless night
trying to find the answers, but thanks to a certain someone, the truth is
probably lost for good.
Then there’s the Demon King’s daughter who, after her drubbing at the hands
of the fighter princess, went home to her castle only to be pelted with
explosions. What difficulties have beset her in life since then?
And as for our Demon-King-defeating protagonist himself, he’s eagerly
awaiting the ceremony in which he’ll be given the largest reward ever bestowed
by the nation in recognition of the incredible battle he’s won. But he has no
idea that his “adopted little sister” has an even greater reward planned for him.
Megumin promised to do “something incredible” with him when they got back,
while the one who defeats the Demon King also has the right to marry into the
royal family…
All of which is to say there are plenty of plot threads that haven’t been tied up
and stories that haven’t been told, so perhaps one day I’ll write a sequel to this
book. But Kazuma’s worked so hard, I think I’ll give him a little break to enjoy a
bit of peace, quiet, and relaxation.
Which brings us to the roll of gratitude for everyone who’s been involved in
this series, up to and including this book. To my four generations of editors,
everyone at Sneaker Bunko’s editorial division, the design people, the
proofreaders, the salespeople, and booksellers all over the world.
To all the many people involved with the manga and spin-offs, the anime and
games, not to mention the movie.
And to Kurone Mishima-sensei, who developed such characterful characters
and who delivered volume after volume of brilliant illustrations despite a
punishing schedule.
I give you all my utmost respect for making it possible to bring so many
volumes to readers around the world.
Above all, to everyone who read Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful
World—thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Natsume Akatsuki
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