A Legend of the Fischl Princess: Vol. 0

This volume is a setting collection for the series A Legend of the Fischl Princess. At first it was a limited freebie with the original purple-black wooden-box edition; but the content was rich and the print run tiny, enraging many hardcore fans who had bought the serial. Under pressure, Yae Publishing House released it alone as "Volume Zero." Since then, the original, the box set, and "Volume Zero" have all been held as canon by hardcore fans.

"Nocturnal Phantasm Suite"

"…The dream still lives."

This line appears mid-story in every tale, most often spoken by the Queen of the Immernachtreich. It is not the mystery most readers care about most—but we still start here.

【Ozvaldo Hrafnavins】

Mighty king of night ravens. If Fischl's combat power is ten and the average World-Beast about fifteen, Ozvaldo may be around thirteen. His strength shows in how, alone, he crushed "Twilight" in Volume One. *Though the "Night Curtain" itself is the natural enemy of "Twilight-color," of course.

As for Ozvaldo's feelings toward Fischl, Teacher Kyuu does not think it is love—perhaps bird imprinting.

(Editor's note: Ignore the author's view. Readers, draw the relationships of the Immernachtreich as you like.)

Also, "Prince of Night Ravens" is not a very noble title. Night ravens are famed for producing schemers and cursers. Ozvaldo insists on it—perhaps because a mere "Night King" would never dare style himself so before "Immnacht."

【World-Beast · Greatest Masterpiece Gesamtkunstwerk】

In one possibility, the "World-Beast" this cycle of the Immernachtreich faces. Combat power around thirty.

In distant past cause and effect, if "the Philosopher Zarathustra" had not been chosen, the opera-author would have won the will of the world. In the opera house at the world's end, once Greatest Masterpiece begins, the World-Beast at the center of many cosmoses is inevitably summoned.

In the last volume, 【World-Beast · Saint of Seven Tears】 is unnaturally weak (combat equal to Fischl, ten). The first choice seems hard to blame. The saint only weeps for Zarathustra.

Both Zarathustra and the musician live to praise the Princess of Judgment. One speaks her heart's suffering; one her journey's grandeur. The princess would not choose the latter—too embarrassing.

【Summer Palace Spirit Park】

Legend says great masters of the demonic path each hold a space of independent consciousness where souls of love, hate, longing, envy, following, and fanaticism toward that person are stored. In other novels it is called Summerland.

The princess's Summer Palace is probably that image. It was never fully developed in the end—honestly a pity.

【Suspected Eternal Recurrence】

Many details make one suspect the Queen of the Immernachtreich once lived all that Fischl lives.

Fischl's father is clearly no shadow—stern, strong, able to pierce her confusion. Her mother, though rich in personality in gesture, speaks only one line: the opening "The dream still lives." In the last volume the mother is already gone at the start, so that half-line of course never appears.

But at the cosmos's end, when all flows into the Immernachtreich, she also says something opaque—

"Where to seek meaning. Night is deep…"

"Where to seek meaning. Night is deep; the dream still lives."

May readers, in a world where the sun still rises each day, also find happiness.

(Q&A excerpts)

Q: Teacher Kyuu, what is the relation between the "Youngest Daughter of the Heavenly Emperor" in Records of the Gallant and Fischl von Luftschloss Narfidort?

A: At the end of Records of the Gallant Vol. 5 I felt the tragedy was mainly because the plot had a male lead, and the "Youngest Daughter" liked him—so I wanted a Princess of Judgment who needed no male lead. Thus the Fischl Princess project.

I still wrote Gallant Vol. 6 and saved the ending. Writing both at once caused flavor-bleed, but personally I'm satisfied.

Q: Who is stronger—full-power Mir-Dad (Asura Khan and the Greatest Demon Sword) or "World-Beast · Greatest Masterpiece"?

A: I refused at first. The editor said if I didn't answer they'd cut the next project. I flipped a coin—Greatest Masterpiece wins.

Q: Teacher Kyuu, has the hair-loss you mentioned in the afterword of Farewell, Lady of the World improved?

A: Can Yae Publishing House not include this kind of question? Does anyone read new-edition extras like this?

(Editor's note: Readers care a lot. That's why they come.)