Afterword
Me: “I want to write about a rival who awakens!” Editor: “That sounds like something straight out of a battle manga.”
That conversation happened, and now Volume 9 of Rich Girl Caretaker has safely hit the shelves! It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I’m Yuusaku Sakaishi. How’s everyone holding up? As for me, I got slammed by COVID during the Obon holidays and was completely knocked out. Even now, I still feel some lingering discomfort in my bronchial tubes from the aftereffects.
- About the Publication Schedule Around the time I was writing the Management Game arc, there was just so much research I had to do that I threw in the towel and said, “Publishing every five months is impossible!” So, I got it switched to a six-month cycle. And it looks like this election arc is heading in the same direction, so we’re sticking with a six-month—or possibly longer—publication pace. I’ve noticed some anxious murmurs on social media like, “When’s the next volume…?” and I’m really sorry about that. I’m taking extra time to make the content as rich as possible. Rest assured, it’s not because my motivation to write Rich Girl Caretaker has dropped in the slightest, so please don’t worry about that.
- A Huge Thank You to All the Readers Who Share Their Thoughts on Social Media I occasionally check out reader reactions on X (formerly Twitter—how long do I have to keep adding this note?). It’s incredibly heartwarming to see people cheering me on. I tend to retweet pretty casually, but there’s actually a reason behind it: I want my timeline to feel like a bulletin board for all you readers. So, if you check out my timeline, you can see what others are saying too. Please make use of it!
[Acknowledgments] I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to everyone involved in making this book possible. To my editor, thank you for your keen insights on delicate points, like Izuki’s positioning. To Sakura Miwabe-sensei, thank you for bringing the world of the story to life so vividly with the cover’s autumn leaves and the double-page poster. And finally, to all the readers who picked up this book, my deepest, most heartfelt thanks.
