@HakureiSM: If you're curious, you deserve the long answer.
I announced my retirement because "comic season" was upon me - last year, I started in July 2012 in order to have a 50-page book printed in time for the convention in March 2013. This has proven to take up around 16 hours a week - which doesn't seem like much until you realize that I have an actual job on the side. When this season arrives, I usually don't have time for anything else. Ask my friends from the game store and from college - I disappear into my room for months at a time.
Because of a frantic deadline rush at the beginning of 2013, I decided to get comic season started earlier than July this year, and retired from Aliceball to give myself more time. However, I was then recruited by Totaku for his scroll project. (Unlike other people who volunteered, I was somehow sought out because of my reputation as a background artist.) At the same time, my (real-life) brother recruited me to do the invitation and decoration designs for his wedding, and you can't say no to family. I decided I might as well put off comic season until July like last year.
However, the scroll project and the wedding invitations, while time-consuming, ended up being less time-consuming than comic season, and so I did have 3 hours a week to devote to Aliceball. Because I had retired before I knew that 3-hour submissions were perfectly acceptable, for a short time I considered coming out of retirement. But I knew that eventually the 16 hours a week would happen, and decided to embrace the role of Reggie Miller or Charles Barkley, basketball stars who continued to be active in the game despite having retired from formal competition (and having never won a championship, much like myself). That way I could enjoy the game while I still had time to give it, without me (and the scroll project, and my brother's wedding stuff) suffering the pressure of having to play to win.
And guess what: July is here, and I've started working on my comic for the 2014 convention. You won't see another Aliceball submission from me for the next six months.
Hopefully now that you see the whole picture, my actions will make a bit more sense. My retirement wasn't a lie, it was just delayed for a few weeks.
@Vento: My knowledge of Japanese is somewhat limited, so while I think Miko is saying "With this, we will end the authority of the ruling class," I'm not sure what you're trying to convey with this. I also know "Noblesse Oblige" means "the obligation of the nobles (to help others)". At first I thought you were referring to my obligations as a self-proclaimed Hall of Famer, but seeing the change to your avatar makes me think you're referring to your obligations instead. Are you saying you're willing to help me? If so, I appreciate it.
