Record of Lorelei: Chapter 20

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Afterword

Thank you very much for picking up this book.

This work had once gone out of print, and considering the current state of the publishing world where even releasing new works is a challenge, I am deeply grateful to Chara Bunko for reissuing it in paperback form. This opportunity is thanks to those who initially discovered and supported my work, to those who continued to express their desire to read it and recommend it even after it left circulation, and to everyone who believed me when I vaguely said, “I’ll figure something out eventually,” and patiently waited. I’m so glad to finally bring it to you. Truly, thank you.

Regarding the 1945 Series, which includes this story, I had received offers from several publishers to reissue it. However, I hesitated for a long time, and I’d like to explain why. The first reason is that it belongs to a genre where dates and people are easily identifiable. Given the historical context of a period in which many lives were lost, I didn’t want to employ techniques like inserting fictional characters into or overwriting actual events. From the very beginning, I adhered to the principle of maintaining the world as it was while ensuring the timeline could not align perfectly with real history—highlighting its fictional nature through unavoidable inconsistencies in the chronology. At the time, I thought creating multiple stories within this same setting, further exaggerating the distortions, was the right approach.

When it came to reissuing these works, however, I was at a loss about how much to revise them. Should I restore the original distortions or minimize them? This indecision kept the project on hold for a long time. After receiving guidance from my editor and proofreaders, I ultimately decided to narrow the distortions while adjusting the series within its fictional timeline. This required yet another round of proofreading. I’m profoundly grateful to Chara Bunko for allowing this revision process to align with my hope of delivering a better version of the work.

Eighty years have nearly passed since the end of the war. Most of those who shared their wartime experiences with us have now passed away, and the memory of the war fades further from people’s minds. Yet, globally, conflicts and wars continue to increase with no signs of resolution. While this series does not directly address war itself, it tells the story of ordinary boys sent to the front lines. If it sparks your interest and leads you to reflect on the importance of peace, I couldn’t ask for anything more meaningful.

During the creation of this work, I relied on many sources of information. I owe my gratitude to various literature and archival materials, as well as to study groups and storytellers whose names and locations I can no longer recall but whose contributions were invaluable.

Lastly, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Maki-sensei, who once again provided illustrations for this series. Rui’s forehead remains irresistibly charming, even after all this time. Thank you for your continued support.

Looking ahead, with the help of the editorial team, Maki-sensei, designers, proofreaders, and many others, I plan to deliver more stories of different individuals. I’ll give it my all, so I hope you’ll continue this journey with me.

Thank you for reading to the very end. I look forward to the day we meet again.

Auspicious day, 2024
Yoichi Onoue

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