Afterword

Nice to meet you. I’m Mizusawa Yume. Thank you for picking up this book.

If you bought it thinking “whoa, this cover art and that last-battle illustration look seriously cool!” and then got through it going “hang on—it’s all twintails, start to finish!” … my apologies.

But … but—it says it in the title!

The title has twintail right there! Of course the content is twintails all the way through from beginning to end!!

Anyway, this book was written to be something you can pick up and enjoy with an easy heart, so I hope it found a place with you.

I hope it found a place with you…!! That would mean so much to me!!

Oh, what’s that~? Tucked in alongside the announcement insert, there’s this thing called a reader survey postcard~?

As expected of the great Shogakukan-sama — rather than anything stingy like “please affix a stamp,” it’s a postage-paid reply card, isn’t it?! And you can even enter to win a library gift card?!

——Fuh … roundabout hints don’t suit my nature. Let me speak plainly.

————Please fill out the survey.

Favorite character: ① Dragon Guildy ② Fox Guildy ③ Lizard Guildy — that’s fine too!!

Also please tell your friends!! I’m begging youuuuuuuu!!

Even now I can hardly believe it’s been made into a book, but writing this afterword brings back the day I got the call about winning the award—just a few months ago now, but it feels like yesterday.

Guest judge Hata Kenjiro-sensei—thank you so much for choosing this book. Submitting because I wanted you to read it was honestly my number-one reason for entering, so this means more than I can say!! Incidentally, someday in Hayate the Combat Butler, I would love to see Hinagiku and Athena in twintails.

To my editor, Hamada-san—I am so sorry for the constant trouble I cause. Having you engage seriously with this ridiculous story is my greatest source of courage. I’m a country bumpkin who got lost on the way to the award ceremony and showed up late, but I will keep my inner chuunibyou alive and push forward—so please keep your guidance coming for a long time!

To my illustrator, Kasuga-san—thank you so much for the most amazing and beautiful illustrations. The emotion I felt seeing those rough character designs for the first time is something I’ll never forget. Hearing that you specifically wanted to draw that scene—that genuinely made my heart catch. I look forward to working with you!

And to everyone in the editorial department, and everyone who had a hand in making this book real—my deepest thanks!

I’ll keep giving it everything I have, so please keep Mizusawa Yume and Twintails in your corner!

—Mizusawa Yume