Oh, a message from BigBen810!
"Are you going to the release event?"
"Of course I'm going!
How about you, BigBen810?"
Wow, that was quick!
"No matter what,
I will go because this is my first chance to meet Annabel."
That's true!
Oh, I can't wait until Saturday!
It's you girls again?
It's deplorable that you snuck into the kitchen and stole a pie!
Not only that, you ate the whole pie in one night!
As students of Luna Nova, aren't you ashamed of yourselves?
That's why I told you to get steal something inconspicuous.
-It wasn't a pie! -What are you saying?
It was not a pie, it was a tart.
-Akko! -But they're totally different!
Yes, they're totally different.
What these girls stole was not a pie, but a tart.
One tart costs as much as three pies!
Professor Badcock, we should not talk about finances with the students.
Please stay out of this, Professor Ursula.
First of all, you all eat way too much!
Luna Nova is in financial hardship, and yet we spend so much on food!
Since you're too cheap with our food, we get hungry!
Yesterday's menu was potato salad, mashed potatoes, and French fries!
All three meals were potatoes!
If you eat that many potatoes, you should be full!
Potatoes get digested very quickly!
That's enough!
Not only did you steal a pie, but you're talking back to your teacher?
All right, a new food delivery is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
You will be tasked with unloading it.
What?
On top of that, you will have detention with Professor Ursula.
-Is that okay with you, Professor Ursula? -Yes.
Wait, wait, wait! That's not fair!
Please! Give me another punishment!
-I have to go into town tomorrow! -Lotte?
I will do anything!
I'll even clean goblins' ears or trolls' baths.
Look, Akko really regrets what she did as you can see!
We will be good! I could even give you a massage.
What's going on, Lotte?
So, please! Let me go to town tomorrow. Please, please, please!
Absolutely not! All of you have detention!
-What happened to Lotte? -I have no idea.
Nothing. She's in shock.
-Is there something going on tomorrow? -Don't you know?
There is an event for the new volume of Night Fall in town tomorrow!
-See! -Too close, I can't see.
-Night Fall? -Yes.
Night Fall.
-Do you know about this? -I've heard about it.
Night Fall is a series of novels that are popular worldwide!
A high school science teacher named Belle visits a manor house with her fiancé.
She somehow time travels into the past and meets Edgar, a handsome young man.
But Edgar is a vampire!
Belle ends up witnessing famous events that have changed the course of history.
It has love, adventure, thrills, schemes,
friendship, and innocence.
It's a huge historical novel series for girls that cover all of these genres.
So far, 364 volumes have been published.
And tomorrow, the long-awaited 365th volume is coming out!
By the way, my favorite character is Edgar's rival, Arthur the werewolf.
He has a sad background, but he's just the cutest.
-Do you understand? -Yes.
Isn't she the one who gets criticizes online all the time?
Yes! The author Annabel Crème is a witch
who has been writing Night Fall for 120 years.
Until now, she has never appeared in public.
But she will finally reveal herself at the event tomorrow!
Well, that's cool.
They're going to be selling all types of merchandise,
and I heard all the fans are going to dress up in costume!
But I won't be able to go.
It's the end for me. Everything is over.
It's all over.
-Wow. -Her spirits are really low.
She must be very upset.
Poor Lotte.
This is all your fault, Akko.
What? My fault?
If you hadn't stolen that tart, Lotte could have gone into town.
I have an idea!
"Sorry, looks like I won't be able to make it."
Well, I guess I can only check out Annabel's My Stage.
There might be some information about tomorrow.
Another funny comment.
Too bad. I wish I could see the real Annabel just once.
Lotte!
I have a plan!
They ordered potatoes again. They're so heavy.
This is it, right?
This is the last one.
-Then let's go. -Yeah.
Thank you so much!
Okay, goodbye!
Ready? Now!
Hannah and Barbara, right? Come back by 6:00, all right?
This truck will take us right into town!
I must be some sort of genius.
What's wrong?
I completely forgot about detention with Professor Ursula.
Akko, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.
Everything comes with sacrifices.
So she says.
Well, I think this will all work out.
Well, the three of you can enjoy detention with me today...
What?
Akko! Akko!
I think we're almost in town.
Oh, no! Hey, Lotte, are you doing cosplay?
How do I look?
-You look great! -Well, let's get out.
Wow, it's the town!
Now we have to walk.
Our magic power disappears when we're away from the school.
Wow, amazing!
Night Fall is everywhere!
It's like a dream!
Hey, look!
That's the waiter on the pirate ship in volume 158.
Over there is the bagpiper who is killed in the war in volume 220.
Over here is the old loan shark who appears briefly in volume 37!
That's one of only 20 toothbrushes in the world
that came with a magazine published 100 years ago.
Just name your price and I'll pay!
Who's that?
-Hey, lady! -Lotte!
You...
That's amazing.
You're dressed like the clock tower that Belle lived in when the series began.
I can trust anyone who chooses it for cosplay.
You are the first person who got it right.
Of course I get it. Any true fan knows this!
Let's be friends!
You're silly, we are already friends!
What just happened?
What is going on?
I heard it's a Night Fall event.
Those stupid novels?
How embarrassing. Aren't they too old to cosplay?
Why don't we take a look to see how stupid it is.
Isn't that it? Lotte! Over there!
I'm here!
Thanks, you guys.
So many people!
I didn't expect a crowd this big.
Lotte, when did you become Night Fall fan?
It was when I was a kid...
My family runs a small shop that sells magic items.
Once, the neighborhood kids teased me because I was a witch.
That was when I found Night Fall at the library.
I identified with the vampire family because they were also bullied.
But as I read, I noticed that Arthur was flirting with Belle
in order to get Edgar's attention.
Then all I could focus on was that.
The next thing I knew, I no longer worried about my other problems.
I'm sure there are other people who found solace in reading these books.
I couldn't hear you, Lotte. Can you repeat that again?
Welcome to this very special Night Fall event.
Tonight, we celebrate the release of the 365th volume in the series,
with a special appearance by the author herself!
Introducing Annabel Crème!
What? That girl is the author?
She's too young, even for a witch.
-Young? She's a kid. -Does she look that way because of magic?
Wow, she's so cute!
So Annabel, do you have anything to say to your loyal fans?
-What? -Say something to your loyal fans.
Thanks.
Well, a little more than that.
You just said to say something.
-She's rude. -What a cocky brat.
Adorable!
Okay, now let's move on...
It's a Night Fall trivia competition!
All the questions are very difficult and were created by Annabel herself.
The winner of this contest will receive a wonderful prize from Annabel.
The first question.
This is a novice-level question.
Where did the maker of the gloves Belle got from her great-grandmother move to?
What? You know the answer, Barbara?
No, no. I was just stretching!
All right. The girl with the red hood right there.
43-5 North Granpiashire White Street.
-Correct! -Lotte, amazing!
Okay, let's keep going!
Lord Edward M. Winter.
23678.9965.
Area code.
Hexamine, potassium nitrate, hydrogen peroxide water.
79 years and 2 months old.
Now there are only two left. Who will be the winner?
Hey, are you by any chance BigBen810?
I can't believe she's come this far.
Go, Lotte!
-Lotte? -That's Lotte!
-Akko and Sucy are here, too. -Go, Lotte!
Okay, this is the last question.
When the author Annabel Crème's mother was a child, she took piano lessons.
The name of the bakery her piano teacher's father-in law frequented is...
Sommerset Bakery.
However, in the same village, in the botanical garden near the bakery,
which flower has the third largest plant area?
What? Was there such a thing?
Which volume? Was it in the book?
Lotte.
This must be hard even for Lotte.
Roses? No.
Narcissus? No.
Hydrangea!
Correct!
She did it!
The champion is this young lady.
Please come over here.
She looks so nervous.
Of course, she's about to meet her idol!
The gift from Annabel is none other than her favorite fountain pen.
You must really love Night Fall.
Yes, of course.
Then you would love this too, right?
You are the next Annabel.
The author of Night Fall is not just one person.
I'm the 12th Annabel.
Now that you've received this, you will be the 13th.
You must write or your beloved Night Fall will end.
Annabel has disappeared.
That's very much like her, though.
Plot twists like this are very common in the Night Fall series.
Please give her a round of applause!
So this is it for tonight.
-What an abrupt ending. -Very awkward.
Boy, what a night.
This is a magic item used for teleportation.
It freaked me out when she suddenly disappeared.
Wait a second!
-I don't see her anywhere. -She could be outside.
Lotte! What happened?
Annabel's disappearance was not part of the show.
It looks like she used this.
-What is it? -A magic item.
It's a toy that anybody can use.
That's right. She's not a witch.
-What? -I must find her.
-Can you help me, please? -Of course!
Annabel! Annabel!
Annabel!
-I don't see her anywhere. -A mushroom.
Annabel!
Annabel, where are you?
A mushroom.
Did you find her?
Not at all. What should I do?
Why do you want to see her so badly?
It turns out the author of Night Fall is not just one person,
but many people who were chosen after inheriting this fountain pen.
-Is that the pen she gave you earlier? -Yes.
Does that mean you're the next author of Night Fall , Lotte?
If I cannot return this fountain pen to her, then yes.
-That's awesome, Lotte! -What?
She asked you to continue the story, right?
Well, I guess...
You get to write whatever you want in your favorite novel series!
Your dream is going to come true!
But that's not what I wished for.
Why not? You love Night Fall so much!
You don't understand.
-What? -You may wish to be Chariot,
but I don't wish to be Annabel.
I don't want to copy what my idol is doing.
I love to support someone
doing the things I can't do.
Lotte...
That's why I have to find Annabel quickly.
Is that fountain pen really old?
I've heard this fountain pen has been used since the first volume.
If it's that old, maybe a spirit lives in the pen.
What does that mean?
Lotte knows how to talk to spirits in old items.
-Really? That's amazing! -You're overreacting.
A spirit can live in old items.
I learned that from my grandma when I was little.
But I wonder if I can do it here.
Let's go somewhere else.
Nice to meet you. I'm Lotte Jansson.
I would like to know where Annabel is.
-I can't hear anything. -You have to wait.
I got it. Thank you.
What did she say?
-She doesn't know where she's gone to. -I see.
She told me that this pen has always chosen the author of Night Fall.
The current Annabel was chosen by this fountain pen,
but she doesn't have confidence in her talent at all.
It appears she held this event to choose the next person on her own.
And you were chosen, I see.
But I can't accept it!
Recent volumes are getting more and more interesting.
The current Annabel's stories are amazing.
I won't accept Night Fall written by anyone other than her.
Lotte, you've got to tell her that!
If she hears that, I'm sure it will make her want to write!
Akko...
If you like Annabel that much, maybe you can guess where she might be.
Where Annabel might go?
That's right. A place that Annabel likes.
Annabel likes...
Hydrangeas?
They are blooming over there.
We're close!
Same old comments...
I should go home soon.
Please don't run away!
You can't return it now!
The fountain pen is yours now!
No, you should have this because your talent was chosen.
I don't have any talent. Everyone is saying so.
They're saying the recent volumes have strange plot lines.
-I was surprised Arthur went to space. -See?
I was surprised, but he always wished unconsciously to go to space.
This has been pointed out by some experts over and over in the past,
just like the Oedipus complex he has.
Any true fan knows that!
We were all waiting for this development!
But those are the opinions of a few.
Ever since I started to write, I've received so much criticism.
Those are the opinions of a few.
The story of the prison, the story of Belle catching the nuclear warhead,
the story of the a cappella championship...
They were all good!
I don't understand those who didn't like them!
Of course I thought it was interesting, too.
But every time I release a new one, people just complain and criticize me.
It's hard to not get depressed.
I've had enough.
-What's your favorite story? -What?
What's your favorite story?
The 363rd volume.
When Edgar lent Arthur that shoehorn?
Yes! I'd always been determined to write that one.
In that story, Edgar gives the shoehorn with his left hand.
For that family, the left hand is the symbol of life.
So if he hands the shoehorn his father gave him with his left hand, that means...
That's right! That's what it means!
-What does it mean? -I have no idea.
You are a genius if you can write that without being conscious of it.
I grew up reading Night Fall, so I love these books.
Me, too.
There are many kids like us in the world.
But you are the only person who can write and enjoy the new stories.
If you stop writing, the real Night Fall will end.
You are the only person who can write this now.
You are the only Annabel.
Yes, after all, I really do want to write. Thank you!
Night Fall?
I saw it!
-It couldn't be. -I know what I saw!
The big clock who was talking to Lotte took the Leyline.
She must be a student at Luna Nova.
I hope you know what's coming.
Yes.
Bummer.
I got a handshake from Annabel, but now my hands are full of troll dirt.
You weren't even a fan of Night Fall.
What's wrong with being a bandwagoner?
There are so many different kinds of people in this world.
It was a good learning experience.
Are you talking about Annabel? See? Isn't she amazing?
I was talking about you, Lotte.
Instead of becoming like your idol, you wanted to support your idol.
I have never thought that way before.
You could have been more selfish but...
Are you still talking about that?
I'm so happy for you, Lotte.
Yes. I'm glad it turned out that way.
If I wrote it, I'd know the story and I'd have nothing to look forward to.
What? That was your true motive?
That's just the way it is. Anyway, let's finish this quickly.
"Dear BigBen810, I'm looking forward to the next story. How about you?"
Okay.
Should I read it? No.
I should save the fun for later.
Good night.
Translated by: Lana Sofer