Thank you all for your support. This book will be going premium tomorrow, at around eleven at night.
Because I write so slowly, I should be able to post three chapters at eleven tomorrow night, wrapping up this part of the story so everyone can read it all in one go.
As a newcomer, this book's performance has far exceeded my expectations, so I can't help worrying about gains and losses a little. I spend an entire evening writing each chapter, then send it to another author friend of mine, Jiyuan Li. The two of us discuss the chapter's problems and revise it, and I only post it once we're both satisfied.
For example, the two of us spent two days revising Chapter 43 before we were satisfied.
Because this is most likely my first book, and may also be my last, I want to do everything I can to write it well. No matter how it performs later, I'll be able to say without regret that I tried my best, and that I'm simply not cut out to earn my rice this way, not cut out to write novels.
You've all guessed the inspiration for this book. It was actually "Illya, sole sovereign across the ages," which is an old meme by now. It was popular for a while last year, but I wasn't thinking about writing novels then. I was originally waiting for someone else to write it, but after a whole year, I still hadn't seen anyone do it. At the time, I also thought the idea probably wasn't suited to starting a book, so I didn't give it much more thought.
Then, in April this year, a friend of mine happened to see that edit on Bilibili and came running over to recite the quotes to me in full chuunibyou mode. It made me laugh, and I thought it was pretty fun, so we chatted about how to expand the idea into a novel. That was how this book first took shape.
Around June, I'd written ten or so chapters and showed the first three to another friend of mine-Jiyuan Li, the good friend who now helps me revise my drafts every day. He was absolutely blown away and said the book was really interesting and that I should post it at lightning speed.
I didn't have much confidence at the time, so I went and submitted it to an editor. The editor said it was an unconventional approach and worth a try, and approved it for a contract after reading Chapter 2. I'd originally planned to stockpile some chapters in June and then start posting, but something came up at home, and I was busy looking for work, so I gave up. At the time, I figured nobody would read it anyway, so I might as well forget it.
Then, in August, the job fell through, I argued with my family, and I was a little at the end of my rope, not knowing what to do. I came across my stockpile of a dozen or so chapters and went back to the editor, thickening my skin to ask whether they still wanted it. Editor Wushu simply said to go ahead and post it.
At the time, I thought earning a little full-attendance bonus would be enough. I never expected to make it onto Sanjiang.
I'm truly grateful to both of my good friends, and to the editor, and even more grateful to all the reader big shots who have supported me up to now.
As for the protagonist's personality, I'd already settled on it when I started the book, and almost all the later plot is closely tied to it. I already had a stockpile of a dozen or so chapters when I began posting, so changing it wasn't possible even if I wanted to. Besides, I personally really like this kind of personality. I also know some readers can't accept it, but there's nothing I can do about that.
After all, this book only works with the protagonist having this personality.
There's plenty more coming that involves the protagonist's personality. I think I can actually reveal the title of one of those chapters now: "Lecturing Dad in the Mourning Hall." As for what happens in it, you'll all find out when the time comes. I won't spoil it here.
The detailed outline goes up to the end of the protagonist's storyline. As for the rough outline, I have a few images of the ending in my head, and I've already settled on the title of the final chapter.
Final chapter: Great Emperor Ziyuan descends upon the mortal world once more!
Anyway, that's the tone of the whole book: spouting nonsense with a perfectly straight face, a little bit of magical girls playing house, a little bit of "sole sovereign across the ages" that sounds almost convincing, alternating between the two.
I think the main reason so many readers have been willing to accept this book is its novelty. After all, even the editor thought it was unusual and unconventional. So the magical-girl side and the sole-sovereign-across-the-ages side will keep moving forward together. I hope everyone enjoys it.
I'm counting on all you big shots for first-chapter subscriptions, keeping up with the latest chapters, and monthly tickets. I asked some other authors, and apparently five hundred monthly tickets calls for bonus chapters. Even though I write slowly, I'll do my best to post extra chapters. If I really can't manage it, I can write some side stories about individual characters.
Thank you all for your support, readers. I'm kowtowing to all you big shots. Bang, bang, bang!
There'll be three chapters at eleven tomorrow night. Remember to come read them!