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

[Reading Notice]... more>>

"The whole story is set in an ideal world for fans chasing stars."

"The main storyline is about a company's growth and expansion through idol group management."

"The protagonist of this story is only the female lead, **while the supporting roles' storylines all serve the protagonist's growth.**"

Jiang Juyou, who graduated from a second-tier university, was on the verge of giving up after having a breakdown from her internship. Suddenly she saw a job posting:

"Looking for interns, 9 to 5, weekends off, social insurances and housing fund provided after being converted to formal employee, internship certificate provided, monthly intern salary 8500, food and housing included, formal salary negotiable, requirement: strong stress resistance."

It's a perfect trap for college students.

Worried that it might be a scam but still went anyway. After arriving, she -

"Ding-"

"Welcome to the Entertainment Company Operations Manual!"

Got bound to a system.

"What the hell?"

Bound to the system, Jiang Juyou was forced to become an entertainment company boss, and so she became someone she hated but also wanted to be - the rich.

[I'm crying but I'm pretending I'm not.jpg]

Jiang Juyou's company became a wind vane in the entertainment industry:

She introduced a new talent show format, and those shows followed suit.

She created new conceptual peripherals, and those companies followed suit.

She operated a new model boy group, and those companies also follo...can't copy, because Jiang Juyou spent too much money.

The fan community shook daily, but Jiang Juyou dodged a bullet.

Fans:

"To the company: Made the petty Entertainment die. To Jiang Juyou: [wry smile] I'll let you off this time."

"Lol, Jiang Juyou got lightly let off because she's too pretty!"

"Can scold the company but don't scold Jiang Juyou!"

"Every time I see Jiang Juyou training trainees, I think why isn't she training me (sorry)"

After Random Entertainment became the hottest company in the industry, Jiang Juyou was isolated by capital.

Capital didn't play with her, so she became capital herself, becoming the main seat at the table, becoming the one everyone had to suck up to -

-

[Background setting: Jiang Juyou time traveled, lost her memories due to the impact of space-time, but her subconscious would drive her actions.]

[The male lead is the background board system] <<less

A dull otaku, Chiaki Haigareki, attends a su*cide party offline and meets a popular idol, Natsuki Seizabashi.... more>>

She has a perfect face that shines as the number one celebrity that every girl wants to be. Her beautiful body is said to have sold hundreds of thousands of copies just by displaying her swimsuit on the front page of a popular shōnen manga magazine. At first glance, she has a special aura that makes it clear that she is a celebrity.

The story is about Natsuki Seizabashi, a beautiful national treasure class-level idol, and Chiaki Haigareki, a dull high school boy, trying to commit su*cide. <<less

A boy who's in unrequited love is trying hard to cope up with his feelings.

Before his reincarnation, Wen Yu always thought that his childhood sweetheart, Fu Chengque, was like the snow on the high mountain, unattainable.... more>>

But later, he realized that she was not ice and snow at all. She was clearly a penguin standing on ice. With one slip of her foot, she tumbled down the mountain…

——————

Next door.

Fu Chengque looked at her golden finger and felt extremely puffed up! She wrote hastily: “I, the future empress, the superhuman, the destined deity Fu Chengque, am recruiting talents! Help friends regardless of reason, sign up quickly!”

But her tasks were not only related to her childhood sweetheart Wen Yu, but each one was super difficult!

【Make Wen Yu say “But I like it.”】

【Have a candlelight dinner with Wen Yu.】

【Whisper to Wen Yu for ten minutes.】

…

She’s just a girl, not a lover. How could she possibly complete them!

What’s absurd is that, although things didn’t go as expected, she still completed them all!

[Highly recommended for people who enjoy both male protagonists and/or female protagonists] <<less

I will never forgive you for being a despicable, scummy, deceitful liar.... more>>

You have inflicted upon me a wound that will never disappear

So

You must spend your lifetime

Atoning for your sins

No

I will make you atone with my own hands

Until the day you die

I will never forgive you

For being so despicable, cowardly, and deceitful

If I were to leave you alone

Everyone would end up miserable

So

I will wring out all of your filthy desires

With this body of mine♡ <<less

Before their marriage, Mr. Mu was a cold, handsome, and wealthy big boss. A lot of young girls fell for him. But, he only had his eyes on his little assistant. He was cold and harsh toward her. ... more>>

The little assistant was pitiful. “Big boss, please be gentle.”

The wicked big boss smiled wickedly, “Marry me and I’ll give you the kind of gentleness specially for you.” <<less

“I love everything about you. And that includes your entire digestive system .”... more>>

‘Don’t open your eyes, Rachel’, she whispered inside her head. ‘Don’t open your d**n eyes.’ But still, she couldn’t keep herself in the end. She opened her eyes and she was greeted by the most handsome face she had ever wanted to see in her entire life, only a few inches away from hers!

“Hi!” Melvin greeted with a smile.

Then without any preamble, she just heard herself speak. “Will you marry me?”

She almost slapped herself. How could she ask him that thing when they had only been together again for only a few minutes after eleven years of not seeing each other?

“Yes, Rachel,” Melvin answered. “I will marry you.”

Okay. Now, what? <<less

Do you still remember your first love? Maybe you have forgotten how you felt when you fell in love for the first time, maybe you... more>> have hidden it deep in your heart, or maybe you are enjoying your first love. Whatever, when you are in your first love, you may feel sweet, shy, and happy. What story is going to happen when you meet your first love again? <<less

Sheng Mu Ci met Song Li for the first time in the hospital. He was admitted due to a waist injury from a car accident, and she was his attending physician.... more>>

During the examination, Sheng Mu Ci grimaced in pain, saying, “Don’t be too rough on a man’s waist, little sister.”

For the first time, he saw the young woman leaning over the bed, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, a spotless white coat, and a pure beauty that stirred one’s imagination. Sheng Mu Ci lost his composure, and Song Li hesitated to proceed.

The second time, Song Li came to the ward for a follow-up examination. Sheng Mu Ci gazed at her and whispered, “Doctor Song, be gentle.”

His assistant noticed something was amiss and leaned in to whisper, “Third Brother, Doctor Song has a boyfriend now.”

Sheng Mu Ci l**ked his lips, feeling possessive.

The third time, after Sheng Mu Ci was discharged, he encountered Song Li. She was having a heated argument with her rumored boyfriend in the parking lot.

The wealthy boyfriend shouted at her, “What’s the point of not letting me touch you? You might as well be someone else’s girlfriend!”

Sheng Mu Ci, leaning against a car door, exhaled a plume of smoke. He casually extinguished the cigarette between his fingers and walked over, delivering a punch to the scoundrel.

The scoundrel cursed and was pinned down by his assistant. The assistant said, “Third Sheng from Beijing City, you fool, haven’t you heard of him?”

Sheng Mu Ci glanced silently at the teary-eyed girl behind him, gave the scoundrel a sidelong look, and lazily smiled.

“She’s now…”

“Someone else’s girlfriend.”

–

“To love someone gently and passionately, every time, every single time.” <<less

In the opening game of the Spring Split, the veteran team OG encountered Waterloo and was overthrown by the underdog.　　... more>>

That was the first time Chen Yuzheng appeared in front of the camera.

With the handsome face of a wealthy young master, he played the most explosive operation.

Passers-bys: This man is so handsome, this man is so crazy, this man is so cute.　

In the summer of that year, an ID named Conquer was born out of nowhere. He made a big splash in international competitions and became a hot star player.

*

Someone asked Yu Nuo what was the most rebellious thing she had done in her life; she was silent for a while before giving the answer:

—— Falling in love with her brother’s enemy. <<less

When Masato Nakasuji was in his third year of junior high school, he fell in love with his classmate Ayana Sairenji, the most beautiful girl in his school.... more>>

Masato, a fat otaku, starts a diet to get closer to Ayana. Nonetheless, he graduates from middle school before seeing any results.

However, after the opening ceremony of the second semester of the first year of high school, Ayana's best friend, Chika Miyahara, brought Masato to a family restaurant. Ayana, who was in front of him said,

"W-with me... please go home together with me!”

A request from her came. <<less

My best friend of three years, whom I secretly have a crush on, had another fight with his girlfriend and wanted broke up again.... more>>

He came to me with beer and barbecue to vent: "If you were a girl, I'd definitely marry you!"

Before I could open my mouth, a gentle yet chilly voice sounded behind me: "You wouldn't get the chance." <<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

A part-time doctor, beautiful and gentle, with a talent for soothing people, joins the club. Among the team members, there are often naive youths sighing, "In the future, when looking for a girlfriend, one should find someone like Ying Huan—obedient, gentle, and good at comforting people..." Only Xu Jingyu, who has been charmed by her, knows that Ying Huan is actually a genuine little demon.... more>>

Xu Jingyu, the reigning champion, is interviewed after the championship match. The reporter asks, "It is said that you rigorously discipline yourself and abstain from alcohol and s*x for a month before each match to preserve your condition and energy. Is this true?" Xu Jingyu's face is marked with bruises, blood trickling from his brow and lips, as he smiles at the camera, "Yes."

At that moment, Ying Huan stands outside the crowd, looking at him coldly.

A curious friend who came to watch the game asks, "Is it true? Can the hormone-charged King Jing really abstain for a month?" Ying Huan remains silent.

Thinking she's confirmed it, the friend laments, "You've found such a handsome boyfriend, but you can only look, not touch." Ying Huan remains silent, not confirming anything but wondering how many times he broke his vow that night.

Xu Jingyu: "I never bow to anyone in my life, except to her, admitting defeat and surrendering."

—
Tips for diving in:
Seductive King Jing X Soft or Tough Little Doctor. From university campus [main] to urban settings. <<less

A VRMMO game, Magia Nasina Online.... more>>

Released a few years ago, but still maintaining huge popularity.

Kuro belongs to the first ranked guild on the Japanese server, but has a bad reputation among other players, who consider him too weak to deserve the spot in the strongest guild. This player’s real name is Kazuki Kurotsugi – he hides his true identity, and leads a peaceful high school life.

On the other hand, Sumeragi Haruka is a popular girl from the same class. Her family didn’t allow her to play this game for years, but now she is overjoyed that the ban has been lifted and she can finally start playing.

After those two meet in the game, they begin to influence each other.

This work is centered around romance, but also talks about the character’s gaming journey.

I want to depict youth, love, and friendship. <<less

“I’ll give you a chance to explain. Tell me.”... more>>

A scene of infidelity, with my husband in front of me and my affair behind me. If this were a play, I, reincarnated as the cheating wife, would be in the spotlight.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come, honey.”

“…What?”

“Arrest him. He’s a spy who tried to seduce me and steal the duchy’s secrets.”

This is going to be the best scene to overturn the worst.

***

Ethan, who has always neglected his wife, and Camille, who chose to have an affair out of thirst for affection. Now that I’ve changed my future and avoided being kicked out penniless, all that’s left is divorce. But my husband, who is supposed to welcome it,

“No divorce.”

I mean, we were never good enough, right? Wasn’t it a relationship that burned to ashes?

“Look me in the eye and tell me. Do you really have no heart?”

The sparks from the fire went in an unexpected direction.

“Let’s see now.”

As if it would flare up again at any moment. <<less

[Fantasy + Single Female Lead + Contrary Female Lead + Dog Food]... more>>

Male lead:

No one expected that the first-generation prodigy goddess turned out to be a waste without any spiritual roots.

Knowing this secret and not doing anything about it would be unthinkable.

"Hehe, Missy, you don't want your secret to be known either, right?"

Female lead:

Now that my secret's been discovered, I can finally be bullied with justification.

This damn guard, why isn't he bolder!

"Go on, try touching me!"

"Try touching me again!"

"Try again and again and..." <<less

"Seeing Lin Yuan's eight-pack abs, his muscles, his body, makes me feel safe!"... more>>

"The dinner Lin Yuan prepared for me was absolutely delicious, better than anything I could have ordered at a restaurant."

"Showing the screenshot of Lin Yuan playing with me in the game, the World Champion has given me a friend status!"

Lin Yuan sent me a beautifully stitched traditional dress, made by himself after learning from an unknown professional."

"Lin..."

After being in a relationship for half a year, Mu Qianqian showed off his affection each day to her social circle.

Causing her single besties to be jealous, but they could only silently swallow food in silence.

But today, Mu Qianqian posted a hypocritical message on WeChat Moments.

"In the end, we broke up."

As soon as these words came out, her besties began to act one after another... <<less

The protagonist, an average salaryman, suddenly finds himself reincarnated into another world through his home PC.... more>>

With no lingering attachments to his previous life, he readily accepts his new situation and decides to follow the guidance of a deity-like figure. The deity offers him the chance to customize his appearance and bestows him with cheat skills, as long as they fit within a certain point limit.

Excited, the protagonist decides to become an ideal handsome man and acquires skills to build a harem of beautiful girls. He also wishes for the ability to become overwhelmingly powerful.

He chooses a skill called “Conquering Skill” as his primary ability, complemented by other skills that would enable his overwhelming power.

This “Conquering Skill” not only allows him to search for his preferred type of beautiful girls from all over the world, but it also predicts events that would increase their affection towards him and advises him accordingly.

However, creating a harem isn’t as easy as he thought… <<less

When I woke up, I had lost my memory.... more>>

The ratio of men and women was a little weird, with me being the only boy out of 160 girls.

As a guy with amnesia, I found myself in an unusual situation where beautiful girls kept saying, ‘I’m your girlfriend,’ one after another!

From tsunderes to yanderes, derederes, and even a new genre called eroderes!?But wait a minute.

Among them, there must be someone who pushed me down!?

In this harem school on an isolated island where s*xual morals have been reversed, a love comedy mystery begins now! <<less

Second son of the Duke of Devonport and first-ranked in the Royal Academy of Acansis. And second to none, the Academy’s official scum of the earth.... more>>

A man who is proof of an unfair world. A man so unlike her who struggles to escape her tr*shy family. Tilia Ambrose hates Ilex Davenport.

But who would have thought she’d end up in bed with the notorious scumbag? <<less

All the girls at Hecheng First High School knew that Chen Rang, the unruly and reckless fighter who feared nothing, had no favorable impression of Qi Huan, the student from the neighboring Minxue Private High School.... more>>

However, they didn’t know at that time, and even Chen Rang, himself, didn’t know either—

In countless restless nights that followed, he would be unable to restrain himself, uncontrollably yearning for her, imagining her a thousand, ten thousand times.

#A restless sweet tale of redemption
#A story of dual academic geniuses.
#Written in third person. <<less

After transmigrating into the 'Return of the Dragon King' novel, Guo Yi discovered that he could summon ghostly ninjas, and from then on aspires to be a ruthless villain.... more>>

His sister, one of the heroines, tried to expel Guo Yi from the Guo family.

Guo Yi: "You killed Mom and Dad and want to expel me from the Guo family, what a white-eyed wolf."

Sister: "Everything is for Brother Jiang Chen."

Guo Yi: "Without the identity of the Guo family's daughter and your pretty face, do you think Jiang Chen would still like you?"

Sister: "I believe in Brother Jiang Chen. You wouldn't be able to comprehend the love that Brother Jiang Chen and I have for one another."

Guo Yi directly kicked his white-eyed wolf sister out of the Guo family.

Two months later, his sister knelt before Guo Yi and cried: "Brother, let me go back to the Guo family."

Guo Yi: "Get lost."

A few decades later, Guo Yi established the world's number one mansion, with the corpses of the sons of heaven's destiny under his feet.

While his sister killed the protagonist with her own hands, she became homeless. <<less

Ji Chu He transformed into the heroine in a stand-in abuse novel.... more>>

In the book, the male lead couldn't forget the white moonlight who was living abroad, so he found a female lead who was somewhat similar to her as a substitute.

Because it was a story about abuse, the female lead experienced being humiliated in public by the male lead's brother, being smashed in the face with money by the male lead's mother, being targeted and framed by the white moonlight who returned from abroad.

Later the female lead unexpectedly died after being physically and mentally abused, leaving the male lead to miss her for the rest of her life.

Ji Chu He, “???” The abuse article only wants to abuse her! Did anyone ask her opinion?!

So, Ji Chu He started to go crazy.

When the male lead took her to his friend’s party, someone embarrassed her in public, "This girl is not as good as your ex-girlfriend."

Ji Chu He stepped forward and slapped the person and said, "Drink some horse urine, you are so arrogant."

When the male lead's mother threw a five million cheque and sneered, "Leave my son, a girl like you is not worthy of him."

Ji Chu He picked up the check and said, “Am I not worthy of him? This is the mental compensation for being together."

When the male lead's white moonlight returned to China with her children and went into battle to win the male lead, the child pretended to be ignorant and said, "This aunt is so ugly.”

Ji Chu He, "You are even uglier, you are the most ugly."

Hearing this, the white moonlight was surprised and immediately scolded her, "How can you care about the child’s words?"

Without missing a beat, Ji Chu He replied, "You are ugly too."

The male lead frowned and stepped forward to support his white moonlight. Ji Chu He slapped him with his backhand and said, "What, you're feeling unbalanced after not receiving a scolding? Don't feel bad, you three are equally ugly."

After avenging herself, Ji Chu He's mental state was getting better and better.

Xie Li, the real young master of the Xie family, has recently been found. It is said that he grew up in the countryside and has a bad temper.

The father favored his adopted son, and reprimanded Xie Li in a deep voice, "Your brother has been spoiled since he was a child, please give him more concessions."

Xie Li's face was full of impatience, "Oh, I'm so busy educating him, I almost forgot about you, old man."

On the first day of the variety show, the fake young master followed him around and wanted to use him as a control group, "My brother has lived in the country all year round and has no knowledge. Please, don't mind him."

Xie Li put his hands in his pockets and said, "It's really a turtle, you little bastard just play in your little tank. If you have nothing to do, don’t follow me and go pick up the excrement at the entrance of the village."

Hearing this, the other guests complained in disapproval, "Both of you are from the same family, how can you say bad things like this to him in person?"

Xie Li, "Who is his family? Not only will I tell him in person, but if he can't hear clearly, I will also engrave it on a monument for him to see."

Xie Li attacked everyone indiscriminately in the variety show until that day when he met Ji Chu He on a narrow road.

Xie Li, "You can learn if you are not educated, you can apply makeup if you are ugly, but there is really no way to cure a bad mind."

Ji Chu He took out two coins from her pocket and handed them to him, "Those who can correct others' mistakes will be rewarded."

Xie Li, “...” I have met my opponent. <<less