Volume One, The Author’s Afterword
Nice to meet you. My name is Shinobumaru.
Thank you very much for picking up this book. I’ve been creating stories as a habit since I was little, and at one point, I even dreamed of becoming a manga artist. Yet, somehow, I ended up becoming a novelist. You really never know what life has in store for you. I originally published this novel on a website called Shōsetsuka ni Narō. I wrote it little by little whenever I had free time and posted each installment online. I never imagined that it would one day be published as a book.
Looking back, the first light novel I ever picked up was Fortune Quest, which was being published by Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko at the time. It had a delightful cast of characters and a warm, gentle world. There were thrilling adventures and stories that occasionally tugged at my heart. I would lose myself in the books late into the night, then save up my allowance to visit the bookstore. From then on, I became completely absorbed in light novels. Back when I was still young, I thought, I want to write stories like these, too! And so I began creating my own. I believe the first novel I ever wrote was a round-robin story I worked on with my friend C-chan.
After that, I switched to a different form of expression—manga—but I’ve continued creating things right up to the present day. Unfortunately, I never managed to make a name for myself as a manga artist, but there’s no doubt that experience has helped me write novels today.
Serving Meals In Another World came about during that long creative journey when I suddenly felt like writing a food-focused story. I thought it might be fun to write a romance starring an older-sister type who goes to great lengths for her adorable little sister and who absolutely loves alcohol. And so this story took shape. Every dish in the story—including the plum wine and pickled plums—is something I’ve made myself at least once. (The one exception is canned crab…! Long live imitation crab sticks!) As I write, I try to convey the impressions I get from actually preparing each dish, while also making sure the characters do more than simply cook. I’ve been experimenting and working things out as I go. I hope the detailed descriptions of the cooking help spark your imagination and make the food in the dining scenes seem even more delicious. Unlike the web version, Jade is considerably less forward in pursuing Akane. Even so, I hope to continue portraying how the two gradually nurture their romantic feelings for each other.
Finally, I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who helped bring this book to life.
First, I’d like to thank all the readers who read the web version and left comments, bookmarked the story, or rated it. Without the readers of the web version, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Although I sometimes received harsh criticism, I was supported and encouraged by the kind words you left in the comments section, and they helped me grow into the writer I am today. Being able to receive comments every time I updated the story is something that makes me truly happy. I’m deeply grateful to all of you, and I hope you’ll continue to support me.
Next, I’d like to thank my editor, W-sama. Out of the countless novels posted on Shōsetsuka ni Narō, you took notice of Serving Meals In Another World and even approached me about publishing it as a book. I’m truly grateful. Without W-sama, I’m sure this work would never have been published and would simply have disappeared into obscurity. Meeting W-sama was truly a wonderful experience for me. Thank you so very, very much.
Next, my thanks go to Yukikana-sama, who was responsible for the illustrations. I was genuinely astonished when I saw the character designs for the first time. After all, there they were—Akane, Jade, and all the others, looking exactly like the characters from Serving Meals In Another World I had imagined in my mind…! Thank you so much for creating illustrations that matched my vision so perfectly. Whenever I get stuck while writing, I look at the character designs to soothe my mind. Thank you for the wonderful illustrations!
I’d also like to thank my family and friends, who supported me throughout the writing process. I was able to get through it all because my family and friends watched over me with such warmth, even while I sacrificed my own free time to write. I’m especially grateful to my friend T. Although we could only meet a few times a month, those occasions gave me a much-needed change of pace. I may not be the most dependable person, but I hope you’ll continue to support me in the future.
And last but not least, to everyone who has read this book… Thank you so much! This is my first full-length novel, so I’m sure there are various areas where I could have done better. I’ll continue working hard on my writing so that I can live up to your expectations. I hope you’ll keep supporting me!
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