---

---

While we were in the room, I barely watched any TV.
So, I didn't realize for the longest time.
For whom the incident's bell tolled, or anything like that.
It's an obvious thing, of course, but the city lives on even without me.
It doesn't hit pause, eagerly waiting for our return, nor does it hesitate to change.
Reality writhes, absorbing all sorts of things, and at times, its very core is invaded.
For example, natural disasters. For example, epidemics. For example...
For example, malice.
Like a tsunami that had managed to reach even a landlocked city.
When Mayu and I returned, the city was in a great uproar.
And for me, an incredibly awful incident had already begun.
Hagase Tooru... had been murdered.

Afterword
This time, the afterword contains just a tiny spoiler for this work. That said, I really don't touch on the core of the story at all, so you probably don't actually need to worry about it. But just a heads-up, anyway.
Apparently, "Lying Mii-kun and Broken Maa-chan" is abbreviated as "Mii-Maa."
And apparently, if you let Buriki-san say it, "Iruma Hitoma" becomes "Irumatty." Who the heck is that?
I wonder how "Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko" gets abbreviated. "Denpa Otoko"? Nah, that one already exists.
These are the kinds of things I usually think about. Hello. I say "hello," but during the day, I'm usually either playing games or napping. A major incident recently: I played Street Fighter II for the first time in about ten years and got totally wrecked by Balrog. Also, Shoryukens have become incredibly hard to pull off. Even so, I'm a respectable member of society. Please don't throw stones.
When I'm writing this series, I find myself naturally avoiding expressions containing words that should go into "XX" in my other works too, to the point where if I'm not careful, I end up writing without using words like "cute." I'd think, "Man, this is kinda hard to write," only to realize, "Well, duh, it's because you're basically doing a challenge run, like in a game," scolding myself. My brain's nicely tied up, isn't it?
Anyway, to change the subject, this story is in an ensemble cast format. I love ensemble casts. I've been rejected from the first round of selection about seventeen or eighteen times for various general literature and light novel newcomer awards, and out of the works I submitted, about nine of them were ensemble casts. I've already deleted all those submitted-and-rejected manuscripts, and my editor sometimes tells me that's a waste. But if they were rejected, there must have been a flaw somewhere, so I just think, "Well, I'll just write something else." Zero recycling spirit.
My heartfelt thanks once again to my editor for all their help. Getting feedback on my writing from an objective viewpoint is incredibly helpful, and I always find it very informative. I look forward to continuing to work with you.
And to Hidari-sama, who does the illustrations and has helped me out with various other works besides this series too. I'm not thinking, "I want an autograph with an illustration" or anything. Really. But then, afterwords are fiction.
Also, to my father, who, if asked if he's eating snacks, hides them in his clothes and says, "I'm not eating," and if asked if he was sleeping in the living room, inexplicably insists, "I wasn't sleeping. I was just thinking," and to my mother, who looks at this father and laments, "I must have raised him wrong"—I'm grateful to them too, of course.
And of course, to all of you who have stuck with me as readers, my unstinting gratitude.
I have another book coming out next month, so if you'd be so kind, please check it out.
Iruma Hitoma

Iruma Hitoma
Hidari
Painting by my dad, the artist who got a bit carried away, No. 2 (enlarged version)
A Gemini living in Yokohama City. A freelance illustrator primarily working on card games, magazine pinups, etc. Lives like a hermit, out of touch with trends.

Lying Mii-kun and Broken Maa-chan 8
The Value of the Everyday is Extraordinary
Iruma Hitoma
Dengeki Bunko
Published March 28, 2013
© 2009 HITOMA IRUMA / ASCII MEDIA WORKS
This e-book was produced based on the following:
Dengeki Bunko "Lying Mii-kun and Broken Maa-chan 8: The Value of the Everyday is Extraordinary"
First edition published September 7, 2009
Publisher: Gunji Satoshi
Published by: KADOKAWA CORPORATION
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