Editing Kaze no Kishihime v1c11

'''Afterword'''

''Heavy Wind'' is a fantasy romance story about a beautiful girl disguised as a man, struggling over the problem of “I absolutely cannot let anyone find out I’m actually a girl!”—a problem that men naturally never have to worry about—and becoming swept up in love and adventure because of it.

After all, because she cannot reveal that she is a woman, even if she falls in love she cannot convey her feelings. Just imagining the painful emotions of a crossdressing beauty who cannot honestly express what is in her heart is already unbearable for me personally. Cute and cool—an “ikemen beauty,” if you will. If readers are willing to accompany such a girl on her adventures, nothing would make me happier.

When thinking about the world of a story, I often imagine a plaster statue. Normally, a story can only depict things from a single angle. But if you compare it to a plaster figure, then depending on whether you look from above, below, left, or right, you end up seeing entirely different expressions.

So if readers are able to glimpse the “world” through cuts taken from different angles, that would make me very happy.

And naturally, the one who guides the story and pulls it forward is the crossdressing beautiful girl herself! The very phrase “girl in men’s clothing” does not even need something like the Takarazuka Revue as proof—that concept itself is already romance. After all, a crossdressing girl becomes dramatic simply by putting on ordinary girls’ clothing. It’s unfairly powerful. I wonder if I succeeded in portraying that sort of crossdressing heroine properly. I humbly leave that judgment to you.

As always, I would also like to deeply thank Usatsuka-sensei for the beautiful illustrations. Every single time I request artwork under an absurdly tight schedule, yet he still delivers incredible work. I truly am grateful. At this point, Yamaguchi genuinely cannot bring himself to sleep with his feet pointed toward Osaka anymore. To Mr. S and Mr. M from the editorial department as well—thank you for all your hard work. And finally, to all the readers: thank you all so very much.

I hope you will continue accompanying Karin, Cendrillon, and the others in their adventures and exploits as their world continues to expand from here onward.

—Noboru Yamaguchi