In the winter of three years ago, the first locked room mu*der in Japanese history was committed.... more>>

All of the evidence pointed to the defendant. It was certain they were guilty. And yet, they were found innocent and released. Why? Because the crime scene was a perfect locked room no one from the police or the prosecutor's office could solve.

"Since the room was locked, it was impossible for the defendant to have committed the mu*der. It's no different than if they had a perfect alibi." That was the argument of the defense, and that was the argument the judge sided with.

The ruling sent a ripple throughout Japanese society. No matter how suspicious you were or how much evidence you left behind, as long as you managed to create a locked room that no one could solve, you were immune from prosecution. With the common anti-mystery fiction talking point "there's no reason anyone would ever actually commit a locked room mu*der" completely overturned, the rate of locked room mu*ders in Japan skyrocketed.

When the police proved unable to deal with the surge of locked room crime, the Ministry of Justice published an official categorization of all known locked room tricks as an investigative aid. When that proved insufficient, Division Zero of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, a police division dedicated solely to solving locked rooms, was created. When that still proved insufficient, locked room detectives, private investigators specializing in locked rooms, were officially licensed by the state and authorized to participate in police investigations. Calling a locked room appraiser, someone specializing in searching buildings for secret passages, is now a common first step in criminal investigations.

On the other side of the spectrum, locked room agents, assassins and crime planners specializing in locked room mu*ders, have become some of the most notorious criminals in Japanese history, and even a cult worshiping the scenes of locked rooms as a way to purify the souls of the deceased has made rapid inroads into Japan.

The protagonist, Kasumi Kuzushiro, is an introverted, somewhat cynical high school student who loves mysteries. Kasumi often finds himself dragged along on bizarre journeys by his flighty childhood friend, Yozuki Asahina. Due to their staggeringly bad luck, these trips often leave them in the wrong place at the wrong time to be caught up in locked room mysteries. Fortunately, another of Kasumi's childhood friends, Shitsuri Mitsumura, is the greatest locked room expert in the world, and can always discover the truth.

Hm? How did a high school girl become the greatest locked room expert in the world?

It's simple.

She's...

Volume 1 was the grand prize winner of the 2022 This Mystery Is Amazing! awards. <<less

One night, Oscar picked up the key to a safe he had once desperately searched for. The person who came with it became a living key was a woman, extraordinary in every aspect. Her tearful eyes, naive actions, even her name and appearance. The woman was oddly irritating. He was even displeased at having to ponder how to describe that irritation. So, he wanted to temporarily put it out of sight, in a place where it couldn't be seen.... more>>

“I... want to be by your side.”

It was too ridiculous to be sincere, and far too pathetic to be temptation.

Therefore, the one who was ensnared was undoubtedly an idiot.

Even when subjected to all kinds of insults, the woman approached until the end. On those small, soft palms, which knew no calluses, Oscar von Reinhardt was played with.

So, I must hold you accountable.

To you, who never had sincerity, not even for a single moment.

Until the very end...

To you, who even hid your name from me,

I will hold you accountable, very cruelly.

Oscar von Reinhardt – The head of the Reinhardt dukedom, with black curly hair and blue eyes. He owns the railway that crosses the Norfolk continent and the largest steel company on the continent. He is willing to do anything for his goals, even if it means kissing the back his enemy’s hand. He has brought his ruined family back to prominence through extreme efficiency. Therefore, he spurns himself for falling for the wiles of such ridiculous seduction, nor can he forgive the woman who made him feel this way.

Han Seo Ah – A mixed-race individual with brown hair and brown eyes. She has been an outsider from the moment she formed her first memory. Her appearance stands out, to the point she is suspicious of her birth. The starting point of her sin was when she came into existence. Therefore, she wishes to atone for all her wrongdoings; to her grandfather, and to that man whose mere presence makes her heart flutter. <<less

In a desperate attempt to save the world, the male protagonist loses his comrades one by one, eventually succumbing to destruction in a bleak fantasy novel.... more>>

I found myself transmigrated into this story as the villainous princess, known for her excessively innocent mind. Obsessed with the male protagonist, I cause chaos and eventually die during a monster attack, tarnishing the reputation of the knight order the protagonist belongs to.

‘Wow, these knights are more like a bunch of mercenaries than a noble order!”

I exclaimed in disbelief, surveying the disheveled knights before me.

“Gentlemen, did you sign a proper employment contract? What about overtime pay? Compensation in case of accidents? Medical support for mental stress and physical injuries?”

“Um… why are you asking this all of a sudden, Princess?”

The male protagonist inquired with a suspicious look.

Well, I can understand why he’s wary of me considering my past obsession, but…

“You should call me ‘Administrative Officer’, not ‘Princess’.”

“Ah, but that’s…”

“Cassia Astrid, I am hereby assigned as the Administrative Officer to the Azure Dawn Knight Order, effective today.”

I flashed a grin at the stunned male protagonist.

“And you can rest assured that I will no longer be obsessed with you.”

The protagonist’s beauty? My obsession? A sweet and bloody romance?

What good are those when the world is on the brink of destruction!

____

“If you keep this up, I might accidentally send a letter of complaint to His Majesty the Emperor about this matter.”

I caused a scene in the commander’s office, acting like a typical villainess.

“Hey, do you expect our men to wash your socks too? Don’t you have hands? Huh!”

I also confronted the absurd barracks culture.

“Don’t be discouraged, gentlemen. It’s not your fault.”

I diligently looked after the future saviors whose mental state was in tatters.

“Long live the Administrative Officer!”

“You are the goddess who will save our knight order!”

“Our. Bright. Light. Cas.si.a!”

…Why have our knights turned into my fan club?

And…

“Our Administrative Officer will never leave us. Do you understand?”

Why has the once cold and aloof male protagonist’s eyes turned affectionate towards me?! <<less

"Elaina, Archduke Grant is coming to visit tomorrow....... Someone you like."... more>>

Diane's sobs reminded Elaina of a book. Every night, she read the same book over and over again in her dreams. In the book, “Moon Shadow,” Diane is sold off to become the wife of Archduke Grant due to family circumstances, preventing her from marrying the man she loves. The book ends with Diane, tired of her loveless marriage, taking her own life.

'This can't be happening!'

She had done so much to prevent Diane's misery. Now she can't stand by and watch her fall into the devil's maw.

"Don't worry, Diane."

Elaina took Diane's hand and reassured her.

"I'll take care of everything."

She will. Even if it means she herself marries him instead.

***

“You've interfered with every approach I've made to Diane Redwood, and now you're asking me to marry you?”

“Think of it more like a one-year contract than a marriage. We can give and take what we want from each other.”

Lyle Grant looked at Elaina with confusion.

“What on earth would you do that for?”

“I have a heart that won't let me turn away from a poor person.”

It wasn't just for Diane. Diane, the protagonist, Nathan, the love of her life, and Lyle and his younger brother. Everyone in "Moon Shadow" was unhappy, each for their own reasons.

“I promise, I'll be your wife for a year, but I'll do my best while I'm at it.”

Elaina smiled up at Lyle, her face full of confidence. She had a plan to make all the characters in the damn "Moon Shadow" happy. <<less

"This love strategy app is too amazing! But can I survive being loved to death by beautiful yandere girls?!"... more>>

This is the story of a man who, without thinking, used his past life's love techniques in a world where chastity is reversed, and ended up being loved by super-rich yandere young ladies, leading to irreversible consequences. <<less

The Pantheon Empire, where the beastmen govern humans.... more>>

A small human woman appeared before Duke Hadeon Lark, a red lion beastman that stood at the pinnacle of power.

A woman known in society for her promiscuous scandals, Elysia Pearlman.

She asked him to make her his mistress,

And offered a contract in exchange for her body’s secret.

“You… d*mn it, what the hell is this?”

“As you can see, my flesh has the power to arouse beastmen.”

Intrigued by the human woman that willingly walked into the lion’s den to be taken advantage of, Hadeon laid down his conditions.

***

“Swear to God right here that you won’t meet another man while you are my mistress.”

“A, alright.”

“No, that’s not right.”

Hadeon grinned as he handed Elysia the veil he was holding.

“Make a formal oath to God. Before my eyes. We just happened to be in a church, after all.”

“M, make an oath?”

The sound of the old pews creaking echoed in the church.

“I, Elysia Pearlman.”

“…I, Elysia Pearlman…”

“Take the man whom God has paired me with, Hadeon Lark, as my unlawful paramour from this day forth.”

“Take the man God has paired… What?”

Before Elysia could protest, a low and powerful voice rang through the empty chapel.

“I, Elysia Pearlman, take the man whom God has paired me with, Hadeon Lark, as my unlawful paramour from this day forth, to unconditionally weep regardless of his mood, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, till death does us apart, and still belong to him even in death, to which I swear before God.” <<less

Once Celebrated as a Genius Chancellor and Undefeated General, Yi Baek-ryeon, met a tragic end in her twilight years.... more>>

After dedicating her entire life to serving the emperor with unwavering loyalty, she was abandoned and forced to take her own life.

“I only wish to never again brush shoulders with Your Majesty,” she lamented with her last breath.

With that one ardent desire, she breathed her last.

“I must have committed some grave sin in a previous life.”

Opening her eyes, she found herself reincarnated as a three-year-old child.

Since she had already come this far, she decided to live a comfortable and leisurely life in her second life, far from the pursuit of heroism.

However…

“Very well. What is it you desire? Shall I have a lake dug and filled with peach juice, or shall I hang cookies from every tree for the birds to peck at?”

Why did she feel a familiar aura of the emperor emanating from this Grand Duke she had never met before?

This time, she was determined to live her own life, unburdened by the influence of others.

“Why? Are you trying to hang yourself again? You will not. You have always belonged to me, and what makes you think it will be any different in your second life?”

…But it seems that won’t be easy.

Your Majesty, may you live long and prosper. Please let me go. <<less

“I’m the Grand Duchess?”... more>>

The Grand Duchess lost her memory after falling into a lake.

Twenty-six-year-old Vivian Sandy Maguire became nineteen-year-old Vivian Sandy Janette.

In the diary she opened to retrieve her memories, she wrote that her marriage to Edgar was a contract and that she attempted su*cide due to her exhausting unrequited love and depression.

Vivian desperately avoids Edgar and prepares to leave.

Edgar was in pain at her actions.

He became willing to sell his soul if he could turn back time…

“I know it’s shameless, but I hope you like me again.”

He began to desperately circle around Vivian.

“If you want to get away from me, you can do so. I just will work harder to reach you.” <<less

A game appeared inexplicably on Han Qing’s cell phone after her marriage came to an end: modify the past every ten days.... more>>

So he changed his dislike of learning from childhood to extreme love.

I thought it was just a game.

Unexpectedly, the next day, after the divorce procedures were completed, everything changed.

Hundreds of imposing staff in suits and leather shoes drove a hundred luxury cars to pick him up.

There are more than a dozen bank cards in the wallet, and the deposits are all nine figures.

There are many strange friends in WeChat, and the phone numbers of many important people in the phone book.

Countless questions popped up in my mind.

The ex-wife and ex-mother-in-law are so regretful that their intestines are green. <<less

Han Shu was an older female white collar worker. She took a plane to go on a business trip overseas. The plane crashed and fell into the sea. When she woke up, she realized that she had become a scoundrel who lived in the family compound, and everyone targeted her with scorn.... more>>

It turns out that she transmigrated and became the vicious female supporting character in an online novel she was reading on her cell phone. She had just married a commander named Jiang Yi due to an arranged marriage.

Han Shu, the vicious female supporting character, was from the city, and Jiang Yi’s hometown was in the countryside. She looked down on her country husband, but she would never dare to disobey her father, who was extremely strict. She had no choice but to marry Jiang Yi.

Han Shu was crafty and unruly, and she used her beauty to flirt with other people. She ignored her husband, Jiang Yi, did nothing around all day, and was oppressive in the family compound.

Later, she hooked up with an idle member of society and fled to a city in the south. There, she did not change her bad habits and continued to flirt with other people. In the end, she was killed in a jealous fight that she caused.

Anyway, she was the kind of female supporting character in a TV series who did not survive more than two episodes. The character’s main purpose was to promote the development between the male lead and the female lead.

Her husband rose through the ranks and became a powerful general. After she left, he quickly married the female lead, who was a pure and kind angel. She had always sympathized with him and secretly loved him. The female doctor, Ding Lan, confessed to him, and they got married, and lived happily ever after.

“Oh! Why am I so miserable?!”

After transmigrating, Han Shu decided that she had to figure out a way to be by her husband’s side to keep herself alive, and then see if she could return to her world.

When she saw her husband’s real, stunning, and handsome face that looked like he walked out of a manga and his honey-colored eight-pack abs, she changed her mind. She had to stay by her husband’s side no matter what and being a general’s wife wasn’t a bad idea. She was going to try her best to hook up with him! <<less

Su Yue, equipped with a supermarket space, traverses from the end of the world to the famine-ridden 1970s, becoming the daughter of the wealthiest man in Lucheng.... more>>

After transmigrating, her family members died or left, leaving only her behind. With a vast fortune, Su Yue shouldered her burden and moved to a place where nobody knew her.

However, the new neighbor, Sister Yang, is overly enthusiastic and on the first day of moving, she secretly selects a potential match for her. Su Yue promptly declines.

"He's skilled and earns a lot every month!"
Su Yue isn't short of money: Rejected.

"He's just a year older than you, a handsome young man! Very good-looking!"
Can he be as good-looking as her: Rejected.

"He's good at cooking, can make anything delicious!"

Reject...
"Well, maybe I can consider it."

However, when Su Yue sees the real person, she realizes that what Sister Yang said were all true!!

The man's appearance breaks her stereotype of the 1970s. Su Yue's long-dormant heart begins to stir.

But...

"But he's only eighteen, and I'm only seventeen!"
"Sigh! What's the big deal? You can get married after being together for two years! With your looks, hurry up and have a beautiful baby to make others envy!"

????
"Is this something a minor should be hearing?!"

...

Qiao Jingming has outstanding looks, extraordinarily handsome, and is recognized by the neighbors as the face of the neighborhood. He's a bit cold and doesn't talk much.

However, one day, the aloof Yan Wang surprisingly becomes Su Yue's exclusive cook!? While others gossip, the two parties involved ignore the rumors and enjoy themselves.

Later, after being a "male nanny" for a long time, there are more and more idle gossip.

Su Yue thinks: "Rabbits don't eat grass near their burrows because the grass near their burrows isn't 'fresh' enough. And this grass near my burrow, can handle the living room, the kitchen, repair appliances, change light bulbs, has excellent earning ability, and is practically a household necessity! Why hesitate to marry him? I've been annoyed by those envious looks for a long time!"

Qiao Jingming thinks: "After being a cook and nanny for so long, I should get some 'salary' to justify my hard work. When can I bring her home openly and pamper her?"

So, the two quickly agreed, got their marriage certificate, and became a model loving couple of the 1970s! <<less

“How much more natural does it have to be?” There were only two options in front of me, possessed.... more>>

Either shave your head and go into the mountain to find a magic tool and die,

or have your tongue cut out because you couldn't offer the magic tool to the emperor!

But I can’t die like this!

I decided to save my life by stealing the role of Iape, the grumpy sub-male lead.

But wait a minute. All I wanted was to find the legendary magic books that Iape needed to find...

. “Open, Sesame!”

Why is the ancient language in Korean?

“The deciphering of Correaria’s ancient books is overseen by Shisha Arvina.”

Why did the original female protagonist give me the role of Iape?

She said, “I’m glad I have a secret code with you.”

“Now, even if you tell me to leave, I will still be by your side.”

“You are everything to me, Shisha.”

Why on earth is even Iape giving me sad eyes?

If my life was saved, I tried to live a leisurely and peaceful life,
but strangely, the original story began to change. <<less

Qi Dengxian was just an ordinary person, overseeing a prison and imprisoning thousands of heroes. It wasn't until his fiancée, who already held two stars... more>> on her shoulders, casually tore up the marriage contract from years ago that he realized... This world would start to dance gracefully because of his departure from this corner of it. <<less

The first time Song Chifeng met Ning Fu was at a c*cktail party.... more>>

She was Shi Ci's girlfriend. She didn't know anyone there except Shi Chi and she didn't pay attention to anyone except Shi Ci.

Friends say she is cold and arrogant.

But Song Chifeng thought the way she looked at Shi Ci was very beautiful.....

Ning Fu and Shi Ci have been dating since high school. She was a dancer while he wanted to create a business of his own and he was eager for success. Because his parents didn't like her. 

However, what he didn't realize was that she wanted to pursue a dream of her own. What was once a long-lasting relationship started to crack and someone else was chasing her as well.... <<less

A celestial meteor makes time and memory rewind itself, bringing new life to the races of gods and deities, and thus changing the fate of the world. One hundred years later, Xiao Bang Chui, an orphan from Qingqiu, enrolled in the Young Phoenix Academy to study. There, she befriended students from the academy and together they formed a tight bond. While over time the group went their separate ways, only the sly and clever young Lei Xiu Yuan stayed by her side.... more>>

Five years later, Xiao Bang Chui, now known as Jiang Li Fei, had transformed into a woman of otherworldly beauty. Such an unheard-of beauty made sophisticated eyes begin to trace her background and history. With the life and death of the young couple, as everyone pursued the secrets of the deities, they entered a foggy maze. At the first meeting of the mountain and sea, the group reunited for the first time, and the mirage sent them into the deepest purgatory with the most beautiful dreams. Can a disciplined man control the power of heaven and earth, and can he control the excitement of his heart? <<less

"I just want to live."... more>>

On a rainy evening, Rebecca, wandering the streets to save her sick younger sibling, is driven out by the clergy due to her lowly poverty background. Isabel, whom she coincidentally meets on the street, extends a helping hand to Rebecca.

The joy of saving her sibling was short-lived. Mysterious men of unknown origin kill Isabel and target Rebecca's life as well.

Under the desperate desire to live, an unknown entity appears before Rebecca and presents her with a single proposal.

"The Law of the Divine...?"
[You have only one year. If you, as the deceased Isabel, swear 'divine vengeance' to God and bring despair and destruction to those who drove you to death, you will be granted one wish.]

Given to her is a single opportunity.

"I accept."

Rebecca, becoming Isabel, swears to God to bring destruction upon those who led her to death. <<less

Writing a book is enjoyable, but entering the fiery furnace of literary reincarnation is another story!... more>>

Transmigrating into her own period novel, Lin Su becomes the former fiancée of the notorious villain who caused her family's downfall.

Lin Su will tell you, ever since she arrived, her back has ached, her legs have been sore, she can barely walk straight, and devour three bowls of rice in one sitting!

The big shot says: What to do when your wife is too charming? Naturally, you spoil her! Spoil her for three days and three nights without leaving the bed!

Witness the sweet and mischievous antics of a transmigrated adorable otaku girl being pampered by a secretly black-bellied villain. <<less

“Just dance, like a living doll.”... more>>

On the day she contemplated giving up ballet, a passion she had dedicated her entire life to, that man, the terrifyingly beautiful Enrico Michele, approached like a whispering devil, presenting a cunning proposal.

“Then I’ll tell you about your dead parents.”

A secret he hinted at along with an ambiguous sponsorship.

“Don’t you want to know the truth?”

Even knowing that becoming a puppet for him would lead her further into darkness, she was willing to do so to unravel the mystery of her parents’ death. <<less