It was 1068, Year 1 of the Xining era. Emperor Zhao Xu had recently ascended the throne of the Song dynasty. The widely respected old-guard of civil officials, Ouyang Xiu, Han Qi, and Fu Bi, were in their twilight years. The unorthodox reformer Wang Anshi was full of vigor, wishing to reverse the tide of decline sweeping over the empire. The stubborn Sima Guang would rather leave imperial government than give up on proper orthodoxy. The literary Su Shi watched from the sidelines, unable to pick a side. ... more>>

With such a talented crop of civil officials, the Song dynasty should have shone brightly. Instead, these geniuses embarked on a mutually destructive course, leaving the Song empire with a gaping, irreparable wound, and leaving future students of history with regret and controversy.

But the sudden arrival of a junior lawyer opens a new path for the Song dynasty. Reformers and conservatives, civil and military officials, domestic and foreign affairs, all shall come under the Law. <<less

‘I want to travel to a place unknown to the many…’... more>>

It was a passing wish to the weary and tired Eugene and she’d not think it’d ever come to pass… but it did.

She opened her eyes and found she was sent to a novel-like world she wrote in passing and became Jin Anika, the scorned queen notorious for her ruthlessness and undeserving of her status.

Queen Jin only sought and desired to see the destruction of this world — the villainess who met her untimely and miserable end at the hands of her husband, Kasser, the reigning king of the Fourth Kingdom.

While struggling to survive in the unknown world, King Kasser visited Eugene and demanded that a contract be fulfilled and come to fruition.

“Three years ago, we made a deal.”

It turns out the Queen was under a contractual marriage with King Kasser. The ultimate price? To bear him a child.

“A… a child?”

“Yes, my successor.” <<less

A being too beautiful to be called a monster.... more>>

Despite the enchanting sight, the surroundings were entirely gruesome.

Erin rose to the rank of leader of the Holy Knights with the sole intention of killing him.

One day, a strange phenomenon occurred that was presumed to be the work of the demon god.

Even though the opportunity for revenge came, it was at a time when she was overwhelmed by an immense power and consumed by despair.

Gabriel, the silver demon, mockingly appears and begins to shake up Erin’s life.

“My condition is simple. Until the night demon dies, every other day, give me as much blood as I desire.”

“Should I start giving blood from today.”

It was a terrifyingly sweet proposal.

***

He overlapped his hand with the hands that was choking his own neck.

The chilling hand of death was kindly guiding her on the path of corruption.

Even though he was struggling to breathe properly, he spoke affectionately and seductively.

“This is how you should do it.”

It was the devil’s temptation, urging her to kill him quickly. <<less

Cha Min-jun was popular at school with his handsome appearance and affectionate personality. Even in Beta times, he appeared to be the ideal Alpha that everyone dreamed of.... more>>

One day, Na Do-hwa encounters Min-jun’s true identity. He was standing in the middle of a group of bloodied men, holding a blunt weapon, looking like he was crazy about killing.

“Did you see that?”

Do-hwa was terrified as he tried to escape but got caught. He wakes up with a fever after spending the night with him.

Do-hwa, who is scared of Min-jun, tries to get out of the situation by pretending to have amnesia, but...

“W, who are you?”

“This is so unfortunate, but we were meeting on the premise of marriage, and we were supposed to have a ceremony when you graduate.”

A meeting on the premise of marriage? Aren’t they just seonbae and hubae?

“We were also living together.”

Do-hwa just lived alone in a semi-bas**ent room. As if that weren’t bad enough, he manifests as a recessive Omega and is subjected to Min-jun’s unusual harassment.

Do-hwa wants to know what’s going on in his mind, so he pretends to be fooled by his crazy lies, but as the days go by, he finds himself in a situation where he wouldn’t be surprised if Min-jun had a child.

If he gets pregnant, he’ll be in trouble, but can he get away with it?

Do-hwa tries to keep his mind clear, but he’s still obsessed with him. Do-hwa wants to get away from Min-jun, but he doesn’t hate him.

Can Na Do-hwa be able to escape Cha Min-jun? <<less

Top student from the Imperial Military School, Eugene Saintfield. ... more>>

He had a dream.

It is to be the Royal Sword of his childhood friend Airi Grandflare, who is aiming to become the Emperor, and bring even more prosperity to the Empire.

But that dream crumbled.

Due to his lacking talent.

Eugene had no talent and was easily abandoned by his childhood friend.

Having fallen into despair, he enrolled in the highest academic center of the Empire, the Lykeion Magic Academy, under the discretion of his father.

The life of Eugene will be moved heavily by the many encounters in the academy.

Eventually turning into a wave that will drag the whole continent… <<less

Yaya died.... more>>

She committed su*cide.

This person, with whom he had no blood relation – whom he’d called ‘elder sister’ for many years, was all too suddenly gone. She left him not just a considerable sum of inheritance, but also a child.

That year he was only 19 years old, still a child himself, and yet all of a sudden was in charge of the welfare of a 15 year old youth.

This child was not bothersome, he had none of the impatience nor rebelliousness characteristics of a typical adolescent.

He had an extremely high IQ, paired with a stability and maturity far exceeding his physical age.

Be it daily living or academics, he didn’t have to worry at all with the boy. He was able to manage everything on his own.

But the more he got to know the boy, the more he realized how frightening this child’s many intentions were.

He wanted to change his mind, could he just take the money and leave the person behind? <<less

I reincarnated as Rowaine, the villainess who was fated to be executed for the sin of mistreating a shapeshifter. To escape death, I decided to replace my sister, Renee, in her arranged marriage.... more>>

The problem was that the person I was to be wed to, the notoriously cold-blooded Duke Blois, was a cat person.

“Darling, I heard that abusing shapeshifters like me is a hobby of yours.”
“From what I understand, there was no such condition that a woman who mistreats shapeshifters could never be the Duke’s marriage partner.”

His emerald eyes flashed dangerously. I quickly added before he could say anything else.

“If my hobby will pose a problem, then I promise that I will never play with the Duke.”

“Ha?”

This is the story of a 10-year contract marriage between a cat butler and a feisty cat shapeshifter. <<less

At the beginning of the imminent doom, Lu Mi, who had crossed to a different world, was thrown directly into the abyss rift with hellish difficulty, with only a blank book in his hand——... more>>

[The Book of Solomon’s Keys]

[As long as the target voluntarily writes their name on this book, you can gain knowledge and abilities from the other party]

Looking at the monsters that filled the abyss, Lu Mi slowly revealed an apologetic and polite smile.

After a frenzy of upgrades, Lu Mi was finally able to leave the abyss and return to the outside world.

****

In the year 2277 of the new calendar, countless pitch black cracks appeared in various places, and monsters of all sizes poured out from the abyss behind the cracks.

As a result, the entire world entered an era of tyranny, and countless extraordinary beings emerged, causing the world to fall into madness.

Among the top tier monsters, there is a group that is particularly different – they are all looking for the owner of a book.

[He conquered us in the abyss, and we offered him all our names so that he could summon us at any time and use our abilities, knowledge, and power]

[But then he suddenly disappeared – We need to find him! We should find him! We will definitely find him]

[There is only one throne in the sky, and he is the only person qualified to compete for that position! We are his most loyal supporters]

At this time, Lu Mi was being interviewed for his new job at the newly established Extraordinary Guild——

Interviewer: “What is your opinion on the ‘Dominator of the Four Pillars’ and’ Lord of the Future Abyss’ mentioned by those monsters?

Lu Mi：“……？”

Who is that?

After all the trouble, I finally returned to a comfortable life. My pursuit for the rest of my life is to slack at work and have three insurances and one fund. Who is adding drama to me again! <<less

Cain Vernat, the war hero.... more>>

Upon hearing the news that he had a lover, Agatha finally decided to put an end to their relationship.

“Let’s talk. I have something to say.”

“I told you to relay any messages through the butler. Whatever it is.”

But despite his continued indifference, Agatha decided to leave silently,

leaving behind only the divorce papers.

As Cain looked at the documents on the desk, he paused.

A sudden divorce notification in what he thought was a smooth marriage.

“What is this… Where is Agatha now?”

Cain held the divorce agreement and searched for her in her room, but Agatha Kristin had already disappeared.

Feeling the blood draining from his entire body, he clenched his teeth.

“A divorce, as if anyone can decide.”

He couldn’t let her go so easily.

No, he never had the intention of letting her go from the beginning. <<less

I have become an extra who was killed in a contract marriage novel. Wanting to survive, I borrowed the role of the female lead and proposed a contract marriage to the male lead.... more>>

The problem is, I get infatuated easily so I added a contract clause on my own.

[ Reinhardt Erestain actively cooperates not to seduce Irovel Hoover. ]

"What if you look at me with that handsome face of yours, and I fall for you? Don't look at me. Did you make an effort to become uglier?"

"I'm sorry. I'm trying my best."

I feel like I'm being stared at like a marked target by the people around me. Maybe it's just my feeling…?

After the contract period expired, the female lead eventually appeared. I needed to return the borrowed male lead to the female lead now, so I handed my husband the expired contract and tried to leave.

"Where are you going after teasing me for a year?"

"Teasing? What are you talking about?"

"You put a rule on not seducing me, but you actually seduced me to your heart's content."

When did I seduce you? I only set up a wall! As my husband looked at me with a puzzled expression, he pressed his lips with a heated gaze.

"Now that the contract has expired, it's time for you to be seduced, my wife." <<less

Sometime after ‘Gates’ appeared in this world, humanity was divided into two: [User] and [ordinary human beings]
Lee-kyung was able to awaken into a user and choose a [Class]…but, in momentary misjudgement, chose to be a [Necromancer], the worst of all classes.... more>>

Lee-kyung, searching for the materials to evolve his skeletal servant, ‘Lackey,’ was barely able to participate in a high-level raid for [Tower of Command] Dungeon. In an accident, he falls down alone to uncover a hidden conspiracy.

Injured and desperate to survive, Lee-kyung called out to anyone…and reached a vengeful spirit. “Please, I’ll do anything….Please form a contract with me and save me!”

–-You’ll do anything?….

[Will you accept the ‘oath’ offered by ‘Seo Dawon’?]
–-You’ll do your best to help me achieve my revenge. And, I will do my best to save you wherever, whenever you are in danger. Is that acceptable?

[Initiating a new contract with ‘Seo Dawon’]
Junior Necromancer Choi Lee-kyung and Ranker Mage Seo Dawon’s delightful revenge play!

TW: Depictions of mental health <<less

It’s been eight years since she possessed Adeline, the ‘villainess’ in a book called 〈 Beyond Orange 〉.... more>>

In order to end this tiresome possession, she tried to create the ending of being killed by the male protagonist— exactly as the book says.

However, at the masquerade ball where the male and female protagonists should fall in love, the male protagonist asked Adeline for a dance?

The male protagonist, whom she should never be involved with, is interested in Adeline, and even offered her a contract marriage…

***

Although she even lied to the male protagonist, who doesn’t seem to intend to act the way he did in the original work, saying that he would die if he married her,

“Adeline.”

But the moment Adeline turned around, Kael’s low, abating voice caught her.

“If there is not the slightest lie in what you said.”

“…”

“I will make you my wife, by all means.”

Something was going astonishingly wrong. <<less

I was reincarnated into a rated-19 novel where the male lead went on a tumultuous rampage. Even worse, I was an extra character who couldn’t escape from the room and was destined to die, named Karentina Lorraine.... more>>

‘…I can’t die like this. I’ll survive.’

In order to survive, I decided to twist the frustrating original story. For a moment, I thought I was going to die… but did I get the buff of a transmigrator? Not only that I summoned a doll that looks exactly like the male lead, but I also gained the world’s only ability…

…Was the extra Karentina actually a munchkin?!

Using my newfound power, I saved all the characters who died in the original story, and with an unintended twist, I somehow helped the main characters walk a flower path toward happiness…

But, is their behavior strange?

* * *

“We’re ending our contractual engagement.”

As soon as Karentina finishes speaking, the temperature around her suddenly drops as if frozen.

“What… ending?”
“Our engagement. We were originally business partners since we have mutual interests, right?”

A mocking chuckle flowed from Ignis’s lips as if he had heard something unbelievable as he tapped the teacup lightly with his slender fingers. Despite a chill running down her spine because of the look in his bright eyes, she couldn’t back down.

“If you break off your engagement with me, who do you think you’re going to meet? Is it him?”
“No! Zion is a doll!”

Ignis’s red pupils narrow ferociously.
Why is he looking at me like that? He wouldn’t be planning to kill me, would he?
It was when I was worried about triggering another death flag.

“Did you say you like b*stards?”

“Ba-b*stards… I meant ‘big dog!’ People will misunderstand me if you keep twisting my words like that.”

Karentina cried and vented her frustration.

“Whether it’s a big dog or whatever.”

Her breath caught in her throat at Ignis’s devouring gaze.

“I’ll be an obedient dog that listens well, so stay by my side.”

…No, what kind of crazy talk is this?
I just twisted the original story to survive, but now, it seems like everything’s going wrong… <<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

“I didn’t cheat on you with your fiancé; it was fate, do you understand?”... more>>

The heroine eloped with my fiancé.

On the day of our engagement.

After a moment of disbelief, the male lead came to me.

“The lady I picked out for the contract marriage ran off with her friend’s fiancé.”

“Goodness, there’s a lady just like me.”

“So I’m thinking of proposing a contract marriage to that friend.”

The eyes beneath the bushy eyebrows gleamed sharply.

“Will you marry me, milady?”

… It seems to be me.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Since my fiancé ran away anyway, there wasn’t much choice; I entered the wedding hall with the male lead.

I agreed to the contract with the intention of running away if necessary.

“I’ll try to make you a precious person to everyone.”

His fingertips, which descended to my earlobe, lightly brushed my tiny earring.

Shivers ran down my spine.

“The earring suits you very well.”

The earring had a purple gem that matched his eye color.

Something seems wrong with this contract marriage after all. <<less

I transmigrated into a novel as the maid of a prince who was trapped inside a tower.... more>>

It was depressing enough to be locked up in that tower, but the situation that I found myself in as soon as I transmigrated was straight up whack.
The original owner of this body, Rosé, threatened the prince and forced him to kiss her!
To make matters worse, Rosé was completely obsessed with the prince, and while trying to monopolize him, she dies a futile death!
We’re right on track to [death via decapitation] as soon as the prince escapes the tower.

So instead, I offered to make a contract with the prince, aptly titled as ‘The Contract for the Life and Death of Rosé Artius’.
No skinship at all! As long as he guarantees that I’ll live until a ripe old age, I will devote my diligence and loyalty to the prince!
But somehow… the prince’s gaze was a bit dangerous. And inside the tower, we were totally alone.

“Rosé, let’s kiss.”

…How did it end up like this?!

* * *

The breath that lingered on my lips disappeared as the stranger moved away.
I stared at the man who kissed me just now.
Under those dark eyebrows were red eyes that were exceedingly cold.
I was instantly bewitched. I couldn’t look away, as if there was an irresistible force coveting my gaze. Because he’s so handsome.

“Rosé, how long do we have to do this?”

I shuddered as the sweet voice whispered next to my ear. Only then did I come to my senses.
I laughed awkwardly to fill the silence. Ahaha, I really don’t know…

“I-I think we can stop now.”

At my words, Albert grinned. It was the forced, soulless smile of a sales team member. Nonetheless, he was still breathtakingly beautiful.

“Then, can I see it now?”
“…Yes.”

He took the wand that I had been holding.
In the novel, the maid Rosé always asked for a kiss from Albert in exchange for letting him see the wand.
In short, at this very moment, I was digging my own grave.
…Damn it. <<less

*Male lead: Hwang Do-jun – CEO of Hanseong Hotel. A VVIP customer of Heritage. After witnessing Yoon Seo-yeon breaking up with her fiancé, he appoints Yoon Seo-yeon as his personal shopper to pick out his outfits.... more>>

*Female lead: Yoon Seo-yeon – Manager of Heritage at Hanseong Hotel Branch. Her fiancé cheated on her with her sister, and her life has become tiring, but she keeps getting involved with Hwang Do-jun, a man she is uncomfortable with in many ways.

—————————————————

“Everything’s organized, and you’ve been doing the right thing. Well then… I guess it’s time to do something bad.”

Hwang Do-jun, representative of Hanseong Hotel.

Yoon Seo-yeon was appointed by Hwang Do-jun to be his personal shopper.

The job duration is only for three months until Do-jun moves to Hanseong Department Store.

It was an unwelcome proposal for Seo-yeon, who Do-jun caught and witnessed the scene where her fiancée demanded a breakup.

But it was something unavoidable.

Well, when you think about it, it’s just three months.

“Let’s just sleep. Together.”

Nothing else.

Just bodies intertwining.

Seo-yeon requested it, and Do-jun willingly accepted. <<less

On the condition that I give birth to an heir, I made a contract marriage with the Duke.... more>>

And I finally got pregnant. I thought I would be guaranteed a comfortable life now.

But I wasn’t.

“That woman must be killed when the baby is born.”

I faced the unbelievable truth.

The Duke only wanted an heir.

So, I ran away from the Duke’s mansion with the baby in my belly. <<less

Ji Ruan transmigrated into an old-fashioned dog-blood abusive story and became a pitiful little shou who was abused both physically and emotionally after marrying the gong through an agreement.... more>>

After checking himself, he found out that he had hearing loss, was physically weak and had nowhere to go.

Very Good. Ji Ruan leaned back against the hospital bed. Since he was uncomfortable, he was going to lie down for a while.

At first, the gong was cold and indifferent, saying, “The agreement will expire in three years. I hope you will leave quietly.”

Ji Ruan turned on his cochlear implant and looked tired, asking, “Sorry, I didn’t hear clearly. Could you say it again?”

Gong: “…Or maybe you should just rest.”

Later, the white moonlight revealed the truth angrily: “Do you think he married you because he loves you? You just look like me. He only loves me!”

Ji Ruan fumbled around and mumbled to himself, “Where’s my cochlear implant…”

He accidentally fell off the hospital bed, and the monitor alarm rang throughout the hospital.

The next second, the gong rushed into the ward with doctors and guards, picked him up and scolded him, “Didn’t I tell you not to get out of bed?!”

Ji Ruan blinked his big eyes and stared at his lips blankly.

Gu Xiuyi took a deep breath, and his anger disappeared.

He leaned down and kissed Ji Ruan’s ear, with lingering fear, “It’s okay, don’t be afraid. I’ll cure you for sure.”

Ji Ruan: What are they talking about? Are they done abusing me? When can I go to sleep?

Before getting married, Gu Xiuyi thought he was marrying a big troublemaker.

It wasn’t until after they got married that he found out what it meant to be a priceless little bundle of joy for generations. <<less

“We’ll be entering a contract marriage?”... more>>

Melissa, an omega and an illegitimate child of the Rosewood County.
Her only family and the only one who was ever on her side—her mother—had passed away.

“…This is not the Count’s funeral hall.”
“I couldn’t be certain because your pheromones were too light, but it’s true. You’re an omega.”

At that point in her life, Melissa was about to become the wife of an old marquis. It was a sacrifice she had to make for the sake of her family.
However, Ian appeared in front of her and gave one final choice that she could make.

“The contract’s main stipulation is very simple. Give birth to an alpha who will become the household’s successor.”

The contract marriage that began as such was like a sweet, sweet melody.
Knowing that one’s life was about to be devoured, but nonetheless addicted to that sweetness—unable to escape. <<less

"Sell yourself to me, Princess. I will buy you for a very high price."... more>>

Sell herself?

Adeline's lips quivered. She couldn’t overlook such insulting words.

"How impudent! Is buying and selling people a norm in this kingdom?"
"Pardon me for being impolite.. When the Duke of Rocher has already put the Princess up for sale, it sounds naive coming from you."

Adeline, a noble Princess descended from two royal bloodlines, and Alexio, a half noble Duke with a commoner mother —a match that seemed impossible.

The whole nation is excited about the marriage of the century that has shaken the kingdom. But little do they know.
That their marriage was riddled with secret deals and contracts.

"I'll give you plenty of time to think about it. It's only natural to go through various verification processes for such a significant transaction..."
"I'll do it."
"...Yes?"
"I agree. To this marriage."

Why did two people who seemed totally mismatched end up joining forces? The real reason behind their marriage, kept under wraps, remained a mystery to everyone. <<less

By the time we got used to each other and knew what the other meant just by looking at each other’s eyes, I realized that I was inside a novel.... more>>

“I-is it a dream?”

“It’s not a dream.”

Unexpectedly, while looking for a way out, I started living together with the villain on a marriage contract.

“I love you.”

The male lead, the crown prince who hated everything and everyone, confessed to me.

“I don’t want to go back.”

Ludwig’s blue eyes, which used to be as dry as a desert, wavered like the blue sea.

***

I want to catch you.

I want you to stay with me. Don’t go.

“Ashily.”

Ludwig’s sincerity finally grabbed Ashily’s heart. <<less

What is it like to be a prison guard in another world? Thieves, pirates, assassins, con artists, terrorists… Werewolves, vampires, witches, necromancers, succubi…... more>>

This is the Iron Rose Prison, where the most dangerous witches in the world are gathered.

“I will make this the best model prison in the world!”

said a prison guard who had been transported to another world.

“Warden, someone has escaped again!”

“Bring them back and put them in solitary confinement.”

Today, is also a peaceful day on the Rose Prison.

Warden: “I’m just trying to run my prison properly, how did I become a big shot in this world?” <<less

“I will give birth to your child.”... more>>

Elise, the princess of a ruined country, was brought as a prisoner to the enemy country, where she was to be hanged and presented to the savages. Desperate to avoid this fate, Elise tried to come up with any way to survive. Even if it meant telling an outrageous lie.

There was only one person who held the power to save her. Rezette Kyrstan, the commander-in-chief of the enemy country, also known as the dragon, and Van Yela's loyal dog. Elise knew she had to convince this cold and stubborn man in front of her to spare her life.

In a trembling voice, Elise made an offer that she hoped he couldn't refuse. "I will give birth to your child," she said. <<less

A seafood chef inexplicably transmigrated into ancient times. Even though he landed in a family with a noble rank, and theoretically was supposed to be rich, the most valuable thing in the house is a grey donkey…... more>>

Su Yu stared at the sky helplessly; in order to support the family, he could only take up his old profession and go out to sell fish.

Unfortunately, the royal family selected concubines from both genders. Even as a poor noble, he had no choice but to attend…

DISCUSSION TOPIC: Will I be selected if I display my fish-slaughtering skills?

“Meow!” His Imperial Majesty shook his tail. <<less