It's not that I can't write anymore, and it's not because I'm sick. It's just that the feelings accumulated throughout this month's writing process, along with all the little moments of interacting with you all, have forced me to stop for a moment and think.
The positioning of *Arcane* has always been very clear to me: the advancement of arcane science and the format of academic papers as the main thread, the differences and similarities between the two worlds and the struggles between the Church and various factions as the secondary thread, ultimately weaving together into a fragrant blossom — adorned with music, the changing of eras, and the life experiences of ordinary people.
Up until the end of the seventh arc, the "Secret Chamber of Immortality," I could proudly say this approach was very successful. It sparked a certain interest in physics, chemistry, and mathematics among many readers who otherwise had no particular fascination with those subjects, and it kept the entire book feeling fresh and full of novelty — something people loved to talk about. But after that point, things changed, because the story entered territory that most readers couldn't follow.
And writing it was agonizing for me, too. I had to weigh every word, deliberate over every phrase, and try to express things in the simplest, most accessible language possible — yet the results still weren't great.
I want to be clear: this doesn't mean I'm abandoning my original vision. I didn't change it in the past, I won't change it now, and I won't change it in the future. The problem is, when seven or eight out of every ten readers I encounter start complaining that they can't follow the discussions in the microscopic domain — saying they recognize every individual character but can't make sense of them strung together — then I have to stop and think seriously. As science popularization, there's still a lot I could write. But as a novel, I've reached a point where I have no choice but to consider pulling back.
I could completely set this aspect aside and write about other things — the progression of the era, for instance — but then it wouldn't be *Arcane* anymore. It would lose everything that makes it distinctive. That's why I've been tormented by this question lately, and the increasingly delayed update schedule is a reflection of that struggle.
Now, I've thought it through clearly. I'm listening to my heart: a novel is, above all else, a novel.
So, this chapter's bonus update will be made up in March. Give me a little more time to carefully sort out the plot. I'll aim for three chapters tomorrow — and if I can't manage that, I'll make it up in March instead. Finally, I'm asking for a monthly ticket of support. At this moment, when I've finally made up my mind, there's only one day left — don't waste those monthly tickets!