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

As a craftsman and a skilled ghostcatcher, Mi Tuan was often troubled. One day, he sighed while lamenting to the cat he had picked up, "The life of a human being is really too difficult. Not only do we have to deal with scoundrels, but we also have to deal with evil spirits, full of hardships and crises.”... more>>

The cat, who had seen him rush to the front to play with the ghosts, couldn't help but express a sincere question, "???"

Who on earth made the female ghost who abused children stand under the sun and read parenting books loudly?

And who forced the ghost of the high school student who committed school violence off the roof, only to have it dance on tall buildings continuously?

And who gathered the female ghost, the naughty child, and the abusive male ghost together and told them to form a family?

The ghosts: "Stop talking; being a ghost is just too hard. QAQ"

One sentence introduction: An infinite player returns to the supernatural world after successfully completing the game.

Theme: Good and evil will eventually be rewarded. <<less

"In another world, there exists a guild of heroes established by the gods.
Sending back people from different worlds, protecting weak land gods and spirits, conquering dungeons, and subjugating demons.... more>>

To safeguard the peace of the world, they quietly undertake many missions.
They gather there under various circumstances.

However—.
Those heroes were nothing but troublemakers." <<less

The kingdom boasted a hero and formidable leader of the demon extermination force, Valen Rudwick. Amidst the chaos of battle, he tried to rescue a woman from a demon attack, only to be struck on the back of his head…... more>>

Unbeknownst to him, the woman he saved was not just any civilian but a succubus.

When Valen regained consciousness, he found himself not on the bloody battlefield but in a wedding hall within the demon realm.

“I am Argentine. And you are?”

“Do you think I’ll tell my name to a filthy demon like you?”

Weary from the prolonged wars, the demons proposed a political marriage to him. The absurd condition? It would last until Argentine, whom Valen saved, became pregnant with his child.

The idea of a child with demon blood repulsed him to the core. But pushed to his limits, Valen reluctantly agreed to their proposal.

“Let’s cease these charades and focus on what needs to be done. It’ll be better for both of us,” he growled.

“I want to give you time to accept…”

“Should I give not only my body but also my mind? Will that strengthen my ‘essence’?”

Valen was disgusted by the demons’ hypocrisy. He had intended to leave the demon realm as soon as the succubus bore a child.

“Whether you call for me or come to me, it’s up to you,” he said.

“…”

“I’ll do my da!mned best to give you my seed.”

Valen, the human warrior who despises demons, and Argentine, the demon king who sought peace through a child.

Can the demon realm truly find peace? <<less

"Good heavens, can a face even be that horrifying!" ... more>>

"Never, ever take that mask off."

Princess Ariel of Charden becomes the attendant to the Crown Prince Ludwig of the Romanov Empire due to an accident caused by her twin brother.

A failed transformation spell, meant to conceal her identity, leaves Ariel with a severe burn scar on her face.

Despite Ludwig constantly mistreating her because of her unsightly appearance, Ariel steadfastly continues her life as the attendant Rapunzel to the Crown Prince.

"Your Highness, there are people around. I think I should wear the mask."

"Isn't this good enough?"

When did it start?

The moment Ludwig began to feel his heart race when seeing the bright and quirky Rapunzel.

Amidst his intense narcissism and conflicting emotions, he comes to realize his affection for the monstrous attendant.

"This is a mask I've made just for you."

His large, warm hand touched her cheek, replacing the cold mask.

The warmth that made her heart flutter endlessly also began to stir Ariel’s feelings...

Will Ariel, transformed into a monstrous attendant, be able to return to Charden? And what will become of the narcissistic Crown Prince's love? <<less

「Life in a mansion is fun!」... more>>

Ririka, who lost her parents at the age of five, was taken in by her Grandmother who lived in the neighborhood and was once a servant at the royal palace, and was taught this and that to live alone.

One day, at the age of 17, Ririka lived and worked as a servant in the mansion of Duke Leclerc Wilgia.

Wilgia’s mansion, which is famous for his eccentricity, is in disrepair, but Ririka gleefully worked hard to clean her up. She also did her laundry. She also worked in the garden.

On top of that, when I started living with Wilgia, he turned out to be a surprisingly nice person…?

The fun days of Ririka, an all-around maid who can do anything, and Wilgia, a hidden handsome duke! <<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

Taida Isamu, a 35-year-old freelancer, has neither close friends nor a girlfriend to share his love with. His only purpose in life is playing VRMMOs. However, modern VRMMOs have become communication tools for the socially successful, and Isamu, a loser, finds himself constantly being hunted in every game he plays. When he becomes fed up with everything, including VRMMOs, due to their similarity to reality, Isamu receives a beta test acceptance notification for a new title.... more>>

That's when he comes up with the idea of hunting beginners. To vent his daily frustrations, he plans to gain knowledge in the beta version and level up faster than others, allowing him to unilaterally hunt down novices right after the game's release. Finally, on the day of the official release, he immediately tries to lure new players outside the city to player-kill them. However, his slightly remaining conscience leads him to provide detailed advice instead.

As he repeats this process, he gradually becomes known as the "Tutorial Guy" and gains the affection of other players. Eventually, he earns the trust of the game's management, and along with that, his real life also starts to improve. <<less

(A humorous and cute passage)... more>>

Despite being a nobody dressed in second-hand clothes and often unlucky, Chu Yu had a powerful advantage that made her feel great.

The male protagonist in the original book, Long Aotian, was currently illiterate. By becoming his junior sister, Chu Yu could benefit from his luck and extend her lifespan.

Meanwhile, the villain in the original book, who would eventually become the Demon Emperor, was currently just a foolish youngster who wanted to cause chaos in the world of cultivation. By tricking him into becoming her senior brother, Chu Yu could also benefit from his connections in the demon realm.

However, due to some unexpected events, Chu Yu found herself bound to a blood oath with the tragic cannon fodder of the original story. There was a hint of ambiguity in their relationship. He is incredibly attractive and would often say things like “I guard my body like a piece of jade, pure and untainted.”

Chu Yu nodded in agreement and replied, “Yes, I will always remember my mission and never forget my original intention!”

She worked hard to persuade him to join her in making their sect stronger and more powerful.

*

Since he was born, Pei Xingzhi had been entrusted with great responsibilities by his family. At the age of three, he started practicing with a sword regardless of the harsh winter weather, and he became well-versed in various types of literature.

At the age of sixteen, Pei Xingzhi became the next head of the Pei family. He was as fierce as the morning sun, with a sturdy and upright posture. He could easily defeat many talented individuals and was about to become the next Holy Son of the Ye Continent.

But he never expected that everything was a lie. His background was fake, his education was fake, and he was only a tool to be used for gaining power and influence.

When he was close to death, Pei Xingzhi pulled on the black collar around his neck, which he had worn since he was a child. He realized that it was not a protective talisman but a soul-breaking curse. Once he removed it, his soul would disappear.

He looked down in shame and muttered, “So they raised me like a dog, a dog that would bite people.”

A warm hand touched his collar, and a young girl said, “Brother, your collar is quite stylish! It’s really popular now!”

“Brother, I made ten thousand of these collars overnight and sold them at the Daoist s*x shop for one thousand spirit stones each! Everyone wants one!”

“Oh, and one more thing, Brother. I really like this collar. It’s forbidden and exciting, and it matches your fair skin perfectly. You look so handsome with it on!”

Pei Xingzhi remained silent.

(This is a passage about the journey of four silly friends who have been inseparable since they met. It features a lively and clever girl from a parallel world and a cold and melancholic male protagonist known as the “bitter melon spirit.”)

(The synopsis has been significantly modified, and if you don’t like it, you can put it away!) <<less

"Stella, please find the cursed jar and break it!"... more>>

In the Credion Empire, where I was taken as a hostage, I encountered these small beings, and their earnest plea was so cute that I agreed to grant their request.

What came out was none other than a pickaxe.
"This is a noble pickaxe, blessed by Goddess Terra! Now, Stella, you too can become a noble farmer!"

Farming, of all things. Despite being a bastard, Stella had always been far removed from such pursuits and simply shook her head, dismissing the idea.
Yet, as time passed, she increasingly found herself drawn to the pickaxe, and it seemed as if the garden beyond was calling out to her.

Strange, why do I suddenly want to farm?

**

Kai, who had been solely focused on expanding his territory, had never found interest in anything else.
One day, he stumbled upon a mysterious field in a secluded corner of the imperial palace, and drawn by an inexplicable fragrance, he was compelled to approach.

What he found there was... none other than carrots?
"Why are there carrots here..."
"What, were you hungry? You look like a low-ranking knight, you can take that carrot and eat it."

Charmed by the sight of the unfamiliar woman, who spoke kindly while holding a pickaxe, Kai involuntarily took a carrot and ate it.
That night, "What's with that carrot... Why can't I stop thinking about it?" <<less

Ruan Qing picked up a man from ancient times.... more>>

The man said, "I've been working for many years and earned tens of thousands of gold taels and boxes of gems.

Ruan Qing asked, "Where is it?"

The man replied, "... in ancient times."

Snippet of daily interaction:

Twenty-seven looked over.

In the video, a tall, thin, young man was wearing a mask. He ducked his head to get out of the car, and then he looked up. Only half of his long hair was tied back, and the other half was hanging loose. The movement of lowering his head and then raising it, along with his walking motion, and the slow playback caused his flowing hair to slowly fall off his shoulders and float down his back.

This made his face look all the more delicate. However, the lower half of his face was hidden by the mask.

According to Twenty-seven's understanding, the purpose of this video was just to watch the young man flip his hair.

The young man was very much like those dandies in another time and place that put on makeup. When they saw a proper young lady on the street, they would flirtatiously push their hair behind their shoulders with their fan before going over to tease the lady.

It was indecently flamboyant!

Twenty-seven looked down on those types of men, but reality told him that some women enjoyed those types.

He raised his eyelids and looked from the phone screen to Ruan Qing's face.

Sure enough, Ruan Qing was weak to that sort of behavior.

Her eyes were narrowed, and her smile was silly. She was like a love-struck fool as she stared at the looped playback on the screen. She sighed and said, "Ah, how can he look so good?!"

Twenty-seven: "..."

Twenty-seven didn't say anything and diligently continued cooking.

After they finished eating, he washed the dishes and tidied up the kitchen. Ruan Qing was sitting on the sofa and swiping her phone.

After swiping her phone for a bit, she suddenly heard Twenty-seven ask, "Like this?"

Ruan Qing turned her head. Twenty-seven had his hands in his pockets and seemed uncomfortable. Half of his long hair was tied up in a high ponytail while the rest was draped over his shoulders.

His attractiveness and figure wasn't any worse than the guy that had uploaded the earlier video.

Wait, that was wrong. Ruan Qing had seen the guy in the video without his mask. Based on her aesthetics, Twenty-seven would totally beat him in attractiveness!

At this moment, Ruan Qing even felt a greedy desire. If this man from ancient times couldn't resolve the issue of getting an identity card, she wouldn't mind if he stayed with her and cooked her meals and cleaned her apartment in lieu of getting a job.

However, these selfish ideas were definitely not okay. She was just thinking about it.

If Twenty-seven didn't get an identity recognized by the government, he would have to rely on her for many things. He might even be at risk of being exploited by her. That was too unfair to him.

Ruan Qing continued worrying over how to solve the issue of giving Twenty-seven an identity.

Attempt #3 at finding a job:

Twenty-seven had broken away from his original world and the control of the Palace of Hell. He had originally wanted to live out his life as an ordinary person.

However, a yuan could stump a hero. If he wanted to stop financially relying on Ruan Qing, he had to figure out a way to earn money. However, without an identity, he couldn't earn money through legal channels.

After much deliberation, he decided that his only option was to return to his old profession.

Twenty-seven continued his stroll.

His hard work paid off. He met another quarreling group. It was two men and one woman.

Twenty-seven observed them for a while to understand what was going on. Their quarrel was about the woman. The two men were her husband and ex-husband. That was kind of interesting.

The two men fought until their heads were bleeding. In the end, they were pulled apart, and the husband left with his wife.

The ex-husband harshly said, "I'll rip off your head the next time I see you!"

The ex-husband took out a tissue and wiped the blood on his face while cursing back as he left the scene.

The spectators dispersed once the excitement was over.

Twenty-seven surreptitiously followed the ex-husband and called out to stop the ex-husband when they got to a parking lot.

He had observed earlier that the ex-husband had a beer belly and was wearing a big gold chain necklace and beaded bracelets. He was definitely a hundred times richer than the hawker couple from before.

"How can you easily let go of your hatred? He stole your wife." The former gold-medal showed off his imposing aura as he approached the gold chain necklace ex-husband. "For 10,000 yuan, no bargaining, I'll bring you his head tonight."

Don't quote a price that was too cheap to rich people. Otherwise, they would think he was a third-rate killer that was scraping to make a living.

The gold chain necklace ex-husband was still holding a bloody tissue. He speechlessly stared at the gold-medal assassin.

People that would commit crimes of passion would sometimes have additional requests that were quite strange. Twenty-seven had taken on those orders before.

Twenty-seven thought it over and said, "If you want to make him a eunuch, that'll cost an additional 2,000 yuan."

The ex-husband: "..."

"You're crazy!" The ex-husband dropped the tissue and beelined to his car. Everyone was afraid of lunatics. After all, if a lunatic committed a crime, he wouldn't be punished by the law.

Twenty-seven watched as his potential big customer nervously bolted into his car, immediately locked his car door, stepped on the gas pedal, and disappeared from the parking garage in an instant.

Twenty-seven was a bit depressed. As an assassin, he wasn't good at promoting his service.

People in his line of business had specialized duties. He was only responsible for killing people. Other people were responsible for the administrative matters in the Palace of Hell. Moreover, their reputation preceded them, and most of their customers came to them with gold and silver.

In the past, Twenty-seven was sure that he would be able to give a good life after leaving the Palace of Hell. But now, he suddenly wasn't so sure. It was so hard to make money!

If Ruan Qing knew about his situation, she could explain his problem using modern concepts. People thought they were amazing when they had a platform to rely on. It was only when they left the platform that they would realize they were nothing. <<less

Meet Elena Kaslana, the half-blood Veela with a danger level that's off the charts. Hogwarts' guardian, creature savior, and magic-world unifier—she's the powerhouse who turned chaos into harmony.... more>>

As Hogwarts' Big Sister, she doused ancient feuds between the houses, making the school a haven. Countless magical creatures owe their lives to her, as she brokered peace between humans and the magical realm.

But Elena's not just a peacemaker; she's a trendsetter. She's the Master Chef of magical cuisine, the Third Dark Lord with style, and the Apex Predator everyone respects.

Her journey intertwined with magical legends—Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Scamander—leaving an everlasting impact.

Get ready for a riveting story? Brace yourself for the extraordinary saga of Elena Kaslana—a cautionary tale celebrating an incredible female protagonist! <<less

The mercenary guild, The Dipterous Sword. ... more>>

A world-renowned Guild and its unique members deal with the numerous requests and problems that unexpectedly come in one after another. Their daily lives and their pasts intersect.

This is a story about the members of The Dipterous Sword guild from the novel, “The Magnificent Battle Records of a Former Noble Lady”.

‘Those Who Have Wings’ can be read as a stand-alone, but there may be some events that relate to the contents of the previous novel. <<less

I like sitting on the empty street during the night, listening to the hushed whispers of 'them,' savoring the clamor of 'their' noise.

"I won’t take in a consort. The Empress will be my only partner."... more>>

Being cautious about marriage isn’t unnatural.

Lucas, the Emperor of the Everia, rejects marriage using the pretext of seeking true love. In order to resolve the crisis of the Empire, Rosedale, the messenger of Eros, steps forward!

However, why is this man so unresponsive to the arrows of love? <<less

Danganronpa: Togami (ダンガンロンパ十神) known fully as Danganronpa: Togami Sekai Seifuku Misui Jōshūhan (ダンガンロンパ十神 世界征服未遂常習犯) is a light novel that focuses on Byakuya Togami and his... more>> encounters with the Ultimate Despair. <<less

Majiatisi Lei En, the sole Descendant of the Heroes is the nightmare of his entire town.... more>>

The apprentice of a proud Warlock, Lei En works hard to learn his trade unknowingly causing mayhem for those around him.

So when he stood on the tower of the Supreme Wizard, shouting with a heroic flair:

”I want to be the greatest of the alchemist of the Shenji Continent!”

A resounding roar of, “Boos” from the townspeople was the only response he got. <<less

I found myself in an apocalypse novel with no dreams or hope.... more>>

And because of that, I trained and trained to become stronger in order to survive.

"Wait, hold on a minute."

But, one day, I realized I had mistaken the genre of the novel I had transmigrated into. <<less

Possessing a Side Character of the academy who ends up with [Dishwasher] ending.... more>>

Yeah, I’m retiring!

[T/N: Dishwasher theory describes a supposedly common situation in Korea about how Korean women, who spend their youth dating numerous men, marry respectable and financially stable men to launder their sordid past and enjoy comfortable and lavish lives.] <<less

Likes to act cute, likes to put on a facade, and likes to act s*upid even more.... more>>

Intelligence 999, combat prowess 999999. No matter if you believe it or not, I am not exaggerating.

Flat chests are evil, big breasts are justice. Most favourite type is Queens that are black-bellied and straightforward.

Not knowing how to pick girls up, being in a romantic relationship is a hassle.

Other than that, I’m good at everything and the world is there for me to play with.

I’m a crazy man, I’m a moron, I’m an idiot, I’m eccentric. I admit it because I dare to say it.

Not satisfied? Come and bite me!

Different from all of you.

I’m the man that stood at the top of the food chain. <<less

--I dream of a world filled with light. Family. School. Friends. Trains. Buses. Movies. Books. “I” grow up in a world of light... and, in the end, I am enveloped in darkness within a white room. Upon waking from the dream, I find myself transformed into a small demon in a world known as the Demon Realm. “--I want to go back--” What spreads in the heart of ‘me’ is the yearning for the world of light seen in the dream. And one day, I leap into the “Summoning Gate” that appears before me. When ‘I’ wake up again, I am born as a human baby. It’s the Holy Kingdom. A human world different from... more>> the one ‘I’ wished to return to. Despite being a demon, with only the power of a baby, ‘I’ am filled with fear. The fact that ‘I’ am a demon must be kept hidden—...

Now, beloved humans. Offer that despair to the “Demon [Me].” <<less

The fabulously wealthy heir to the Tsuwabuki Concern, Ichiro Tsuwabuki, has arrived inside the next generation virtual reality MMO, Narrow Fantasy Online. His cousin Asuha... more>> has asked for his help in finding someone inside the game, and he's come to help her out. Of course, while he's happy enough to help his cousin out, Ichiro also cannot be satisfied with anything but total mastery of whatever he tries. He quickly proceeds to dominate the game world using his natural genius... and his wallet! <<less

“Cha Woo Jin, let’s get married.”... more>>

“Are you crazy?”

“If neither of us are taken by the time we are 29, let’s get married.”

In Ah and Woo jin are childhood friends. They have never had any romantic feelings towards each other until one night In ah proposes to which Woo jin feels the situation is absurd, but he begins to unconsciously count down the days to her birthday. <<less

Get ready for the rip-roaring light novel that inspired a viral comic sensation!... more>>

Two years after transmigrating into the fantasy BL novel Asterion of the Starry Blue Night, Rosalite—a minor character and the sister of the tragic male lead—learns that she is fated to repeat her life every time her brother dies.

No matter how hard she tries, her brother, Rion, continues to attract toxic men and almost always perishes by the age of 20, whether by mu*der or by taking his own life, fating Rosalite to return to her 16-year-old body.

After nearly two dozen attempts to get the timeline right, Rosalite has run out of patience for all these sleazy men: Touch My Brother and You Die! <<less