Hello,
I’m Miyazaki Yuu.
This
work is the novelization of The Asterisk
War Side Story: The Wings of Queenvail, for which I handled the original
concept in Bessatsu Shounen Magazine
while it was serialized by Akane Shou. This volume is the second in the novel
series. The comic edition concluded in four volumes, and this second novel
volume includes content all the way up to the final chapter of the manga.
In
the first volume, due to page limitations, I wasn’t able to add much new
material, but this time I’ve sprinkled in additional episodes here and there. I
hope that even readers of the manga found those parts fresh and enjoyable. At
first, I considered touching on the “blank period” leading up to the Phoenix
Festival, but it felt like it would end up rather half-baked, so instead I
devoted that space to episodes featuring new characters and to expanding the
battle scenes.
As
for the content itself, if the first volume was a story about forming a team,
then this second volume is a story about growing as a team. Through their match
against Rusalka and their training under Fan Xinglu, just how much stronger
Minato and the others have become, please look forward to seeing their true
worth revealed in the matches of the Phoenix Festival, which has finally begun.
From here on out, even for readers of the manga, this is uncharted territory,
and I myself am fired up!
...That
said, readers of the main series likely already know, to a certain extent, how
far Team Kaguya advances and what kind of conclusion awaits them. Even so, I
believe that the process leading up to that point, and what they come to gain, or
perhaps what they come to lose, are things you can thoroughly enjoy even
knowing the outcome. I hope you’ll look forward to it.
Now
then, once again I’d like to thank okiura-san for providing such wonderful
illustrations! To be honest, I’d heard that they’d been feeling a bit under the
weather recently, so I was worried. While that meant readers had to wait a
little longer, I was relieved when this beautiful cover finally arrived. Just
like in the first volume, all five members of Team Kaguya are present, but with
a completely different composition that highlights Sophia and Yuzuhi. As
expected, excellent work!
Finally,
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the many people who supported
me this time as well.
First
of all, to Akane Shou, the other creator of this side story even though the
serialization has ended; to Editor O, Editor I, and everyone in the editorial
department; to Mr. K from Kodansha Editing; to those involved with the anime;
to those involved with the games; and, of course, to all the readers who always
support us, my sincerest thanks to you all.
I
hope we can meet again in the next volume.
February
2017
Miyazaki
Yuu