Slayers - Volume 5 - Chapter Aft

Afterword

Scene: The Author and L

Au: It’s volume 5!

L: One-third of the way through the novels!

Au: And a certain popular character appears in this book.

L: Xellos, you mean?

Au: Yes! He outstripped Lina, the protagonist, in the popularity polls we took while the series was running. The woman who edits the comics version even refers to him as “Xellos-sama”!

L: Oh, so she’s a fan? I suppose he is a hit with the ladies. Did you intend for that?

Au: No. I suspected he might become rather popular, but not to this degree. In that respect, it was totally unplanned.

L: If everything went as you planned, I’d take the top ten spots in every poll.

Au: I’d never plan that! Besides, how can one person take all ten spots?!

L: Well, under the names L-sama, L, Beautiful Afterword Girl, L-rin, and such... See?

Au: Has anyone ever called you “L-rin”? And other characters would still get votes, you know.

L: Hmm... Then rather than a standard popularity poll, we’ll make it a limited one! One where I’d monopolize the top ten for sure!

Au: Limited how?

L: For instance, “Top ten characters who dominate the afterwords!”

Au: What would the choices even be?! You can’t vote for the author, so it would just be between you and S, who hasn’t even appeared lately!

L: Ah, I’ll need to include some fine print that forbids people from voting on S! Then I’ll win for sure!

Au: Okay, fine! But why would the readers even bother voting, then? And would you really be happy having names like “L-rin” and “L-ran” in the top ten?!

L: Huh? Now that you mention it... I suppose not. But I would like to have some kind of reader poll! Just like old times!

Au: Hahaha. Yeah, right. The last time I did a popularity poll, a whole room in the house I’d just bought ended up filled with postcards. It was hell.

L: Then let’s! Go back! To hell!

Au: Don’t sound so excited about it! I’m not going to hell just for old time’s sake! If we really want to do a reader poll, I’d prefer to drag editorial into it so I don’t have to do all the counting myself.

L: As tactless as ever...

Au: Oh, I love being tactless! In interviews before this, people have asked me, “Where do you find your ideas?” And I simply respond, “Hahaha, if you could just find ideas, there wouldn’t be writers fighting with deadlines or struggling authors still waiting to debut”—it always gets cut!

L: Of course such tactless, grim nonsense would be cut...

Au: Nevertheless, sometimes confronting reality is what helps you reach the next step. When people say “grow up,” it doesn’t mean “throw away your dreams.” It usually means “whatever you decide to do in the end, face facts and search for what’s best, or at least better.”

L: Well, no matter how nice you make it sound, the fact remains that you don’t like counting votes and you want to foist the duty on someone else.

Au: Erk! W-Well, if we do have to have a poll, I at least hope editorial will help...

L: I know! Let’s do a poll for best afterword! Oh, but I already promised the volume 6 afterword to my subordinate S, and I don’t want him getting biased votes there...

Au: Look, there’s no need to force one.

L: But it’s worth considering! Okay, everyone, whether it’s in the volume 7 reprint or Smash, let’s meet again soon!

Afterword: Over.