Heavy Object

Volume 3, Afterword

I made it to the third volume.

This is Kamachi Kazuma.

...This may be the third volume, but I wrote this series with a certain idea in mind. I thought the first volume could be something like a starter pack that explained the basic setting and actions of the characters as well as the makeup and values of the different parts of the world. Then the subsequent volumes could be something like expansion packs. My intention was to have a timeline that continues with each volume, but where you can pick up and enjoy any volume so long as you have the basic information from the first volume. I hope you readers can check to see if I was successful or not.

This time, I think I will divide the afterword up by chapter.

The novel is essentially a collection of short stories, but I intentionally used a more irregular type of construction where plotlines begun in one chapter would be resolved in another.

Regarding Chapter 1:

Up until now, I had always been writing about how amazing the monstrous weapons known as Objects are, so I wrote this chapter as a story describing how amazing the Elites who pilot those Objects are. This was also the first time the protagonist Quenser actually rode inside an Object.

I had wanted to have the princess and the “oh ho ho” fight, and I made the entire chapter have a fairly light atmosphere.

From the beginning, I had designed the “oh ho ho” as an idol that people could get emotionally invested in despite her being a virtual existence.

I came up with the idea of the Information Alliance’s strategic AI when thinking about how scary false detections and false decisions of security software could be. What did you think?

Regarding Chapter 2:

For the first time, I put a spy in this story.

With all the fighting left to Objects and infantry not doing as much, I think spies like this would become more common.

I added in the idea of an overall conspiracy here, but if it that was all there was, the overall theme of “fighting Objects” would have been lost. For that reason, I left it at just a taste.

I had always wanted to use an Object that could jump so nimbly it seemed like a joke, so I did that here.

The diamonds that were acquired in a comical manner in this chapter became a very important item in the next chapter.

Regarding Chapter 3:

This was the final battle against the ridiculous enemy of 7 Objects.

I made the key to this chapter be how to strike back at an enemy that seems far too much to handle at first glance.

Prizewell City Slicker’s strategy was something like the exact opposite of Sladder Honeysuckle’s from Adoption War with a more offensive and powerful slant than the Oceanian military nation.

It was never specified just how much they cut down on costs, but the use of Objects may have greatly changed had they won that battle.

Any readers who thought the Battlefield Cleanup Service appeared rather suddenly are quite perceptive. Their identity and goal become clear in the epilogue. Basically, they had their reasons for being so willing to head into battle against Objects despite living in a world where flesh-and-blood soldiers would never think of doing such a thing.

In Adoption War, I put a lot of focus on speaking with the enemy, but I almost completely ignored that in this story. Be aware that that is not an essential part of this series’ theme.

I give my thanks to my illustrator Nagiryo-san and my editor Miki-san. This novel is part of an annoying genre that requires them to pay attention to a lot of small details that do not necessarily show up in the text. I am truly thankful for their help this time, too.

And I give my thanks to the readers. My intention with this series that I mentioned at the beginning of the afterword was an experiment that required at least 3 volumes to attempt. I truly thank you.

And so, I think I will end this here.

I lay down my pen while hoping this book will remain in your heart in some way.

...I really have given the Information Alliance a lot of amusing characters, haven’t I?

-Kamachi Kazuma

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