Hidaka Hanamura, an ordinary employee, was in his fourth year with the company. He was a young employee working hard to achieve his goals. However, his life took an unexpected turn when he was transferred to the Hamayama Sales Office, a place well-known within the company for having only stunningly beautiful women.... more>>

Feeling both nervous and excited, Hanamura reported to work, unaware that he would soon experience a double dose of excitement. You see, these women were not only passionate about their jobs but were equally dedicated to posting web novels. Moreover, they were avid fans of the web novel site and best-selling author “Okome Takashi,” who had published works that sold millions of copies.

What no one knew was that Hanamura was, in fact, “Okome Takashi” himself, secretly engaging in his book-writing activities without the knowledge of his colleagues. As a shy and unpopular guy, Hanamura had poured his hidden desires into his “Okome Takashi” works. Learning that these beautiful women were reading his novels and using them as inspiration dealt a blow to Hanamura’s confidence. He was determined to keep his identity as a novelist hidden at all costs, even as he faced the serious business of work and the creative world with these dedicated women.

As he interacted with them and helped them grow both personally and professionally, Hanamura would find an irreplaceable partner and embark on a romantic office comedy filled with unexpected twists and turns. <<less

When Xi Xi saw Li Shen for the first time, she felt that he must not be a good man because of his fierce face.... more>>

Later, Li Shen helped her carry her luggage, cooked for her, and walked the dog with her. Xi Xi felt guilty and apologized to him, “Li Shen, I was wrong. I shouldn’t judge people by their appearance. In fact, you’re a living Lei Feng who doesn’t ask for anything in return.”

Li Shen was almost stunned to death in one breath. I don’t ask for anything in return. Didn’t you see Lao Zi chasing you!

Timid female writer × ferocious and overbearing contractor <<less

He would always appear before his eyes at unexpected moments, as if from a dream.

Kageyama Eimu, a first-year high school student attending Leonis Adventure Academy, possesses a unique innate ability known as a blessing. Unfortunately, his blessing, called [Sure Hit], is perceived as a dud since it merely guarantees hitting enemies within his visible range—a skill aptly named [Sure Hit]. Choosing the Archer job to make the most of his blessing, Eimu diligently engages in dungeon conquests to become stronger. However, his level progress is sluggish, compounded by the Archer job’s lackluster reputation, leading to constant harassment from his classmates.... more>>

One fateful day, Eimu makes a startling realization.

The effect of Eimu’s [Sure Hit] extends not only to visible enemies but also to those he senses through the Archer’s detection skill. Realizing that he can hit enemies at a considerable distance, even those invisible to the naked eye, Eimu expands this range further. Soon, he gains the ability to unilaterally attack monsters from the upper layers of the dungeon and even from outside.

Through this seemingly cunning yet rational leveling strategy, Eimu starts effortlessly overwhelming formidable adversaries. <<less

That summer afternoon, spent beside the being who had become the heaviest in my world, with the verdure of the season deepening within the confines of my lone space, self-isolated from others. Solitude was no longer an option for me. A life without Woonu only promised loneliness.... more>>

I lost my family and experienced the loneliness that lingered in their absence, living a lonesome life without holding anyone close to my heart, stewing in my solitude. Loneliness and solitude cannot coexist. Only those who have chosen solitude know of this truth.

Solitude is a blank, and loneliness is a dearth that seeks to be filled. Because solitude is closer to nonpossession than it is to resignation, while loneliness is like a jar with a leaky bottom. That imperfectly solid blank of mine, built from my fleeing of loneliness, became desperate to contain a whole being.

Woonu, having felt the rain at the tip of his fingers, arm stretched beyond the eaves, suddenly straightened his legs and leaned his upper body forward.

“Huh? A green frog!”

“Where? Are you sure you didn’t see wrong?”

“There, over there! Oh, oh, it’s jumping!”

“Oh, there really is one.”

“Where did it come from? Has it always lived here?”

I quietly gazed at the side of his face, his mouth agape with a bright smile adorning it.

Where did you come from? Where did you come from for it to feel as though you’ve always been here? <<less

I, Souta Sakuhara, an unremarkable, introverted geek, miraculously got my first girlfriend in the third year of middle school. Life with my girlfriend, who was way out of my league, felt like I was at the peak of happiness… until.... more>>

“I’m sorry, Souta-kun… I’ve fallen for someone else.”

In the spring of my first year of high school, she suddenly broke up with me. Moreover, her new love interest is a super popular model known as a “handsome” beauty in school… meaning, a girl stole my girlfriend from me. However, the handsome girl who took my girlfriend started to cling to me for some reason…

What? Her real target was not my girlfriend… but me!? <<less

To save their own daughter, her foster parents decided to marry her off to the notorious young general, Leng Yuhe, who was allegedly malevolent and... more>> astrocious with the blood of countless lives on his hands. The first time they met, he skinned a person alive before her very eyes. In mortal terror of this young general, she went to great lengths to flee, but was caught in the act by him. “One more attempt to escape, little p**sycat, and I'll personally see to it that you'll never, ever be able to get out of bed again.” <<less

　Isn't it sad that I'm in high school and I've never kissed?... more>>

　I'm proud to be a perfectionist and aspire to be a doctor, but I, Kotaro Kuroki, am struggling.

　Is kissing necessary for a perfect life...? No, love and kissing are confusing to me!

　Then I met Hino Koyuki, a classmate rumoured to be 'the girl who kisses everyone,' and by chance, I ended up playing a certain game with this girl.

"Hey, how about I kiss you if I lose?"

"Geez!"

"Haha, Kuroki, that's funny... So do you want to?"

"Who needs a kiss?" I thought, but I couldn't take my eyes off her.

　I'm sure she has something that I don't, yet why does her smile seem so sad sometimes?

　--There are many kinds of people in this world: unrealistic, slu*ts, shady, and b*tches.

　In this world, there are people who suffer from 'being abnormal.'

　But who in the world has the right to call it a disease?

　A coming-of-age romantic comedy that goes back to the basics and prescribes for all the misfits! <<less

Kakeru Taiga enrolled into a top high school after hellish studying, and there he found his middle-school crush, Fuuka Kiyami, as well as an old classmate, the handsome Amane Imataka.... more>>

Despite him coming from the same middle school as the two, they had never properly crossed paths. However, one day, Kakeru happened to overhear Kiyami's confession to her childhood friend, Imataka.

He expected her confession to be a success, but to his surprise, Imataka went above and beyond. Not only did he reject her, he also showered her with insults.

Seeing Kiyami crying was enough. Anger consumed him, and he couldn't control his rising emotions. Afflicted, he ended up punching Imataka.

One year later, after a class change, the girl he'd always admired ended up sitting next to him. Before he realized it, the two were getting closer to each other — Will he finally break out of his shell? <<less

My childhood friend, Marikawa Haruhime is one of the most beautiful girls there in our school.... more>>

With that same Haruhime in question, we continue to play the game of sekkusu, a promise every Wednesday.

A heart-warming loose, flirty and a naughty love story. <<less

As the dean of the National Institute of Genetics, Ji Shiqing has taken over the institute since he was 25 years old. He held absolute power, excluding his colleagues and taking credit for the research results of other researchers, which eventually led to a rebellious and despised situation.... more>>

He died in the winter of the Empire’s year 1202 at the age of 31. It was only after his death that people came to know about the various illnesses and suffering he endured throughout those years. He single-handedly withstood the pressure and defamation from the Senate and developed the S305 drug, capable of curing genetic diseases.

On the day of his burial, ten thousand people came to pay their respects, but he will never return.

The anti-fans who had criticized Ji Shiqing went back in time to 1201, just after Ji Shiqing had celebrated his 30th birthday. He had nothing left, but still faced the three-way pressure from the Senate, political enemies, and the public, and was determined to complete…

Now that everything has started over again, is there still a possibility to redeem everything? <<less

Amane Shiranui, a high school boy who dreams of becoming a novelist in the future was writing a novel in his classroom after school, which... more>> also happens to be his daily routine. In a classroom where no one was present, he was writing a novel in pure secrecy. Takane No Hana, named after the girl Takamine Hana, who happens to learn about this out of sheer coincidence. A dull literary boy and an unattainable flower, when two people of opposite spectrum who should never encounter each other; meet; the flow of overall destiny twists. <<less

"Finally, I’m back!"... more>>

Having endured hellish and grueling days in another world, I, Izuru Orikata, have managed to get back to Earth. With gritted teeth and using the numerous skills that that shitty goddess had given me, I managed to return in one piece.

Yet, there was one single person I could never forgive.

I wasn’t transported to another world. Instead, I was reincarnated. Yes, reincarnated—To put it in other words, I died.

With my partner and s*ave Miriya, who trailed after me from the other world beyond, I made a vow. At last, back to this world I’d gone to lengths to return to, I swore revenge upon the one who’d killed me. <<less

At the moment when the sun went down, Mother Earth finally got tired of the parasites on her body, and suddenly exploded with natural disasters for the sake of one hundred.... more>>

One by one bizarre fragments floated past before her eyes. Before her consciousness dissipated, Mo Xiaoyao grabbed one of them and got into the dungeon.

When she arrived at her destination after a thousand hardships, what appeared in front of her was a huge cruise ship.

Under the gangway, the man in the shipmate’s uniform bowed to her: “Ma’am, are you getting on board?”

Mo Xiaoyao looked at his octopus-like face with a calm expression: “Of course.”

—

One day in 24-year-old Mo Xiaoyao’s natal year*, the earth suddenly exploded. She thought she was going to die, but after touching the magic fragment, she entered the dungeon world and began her cruise journey. The racetrack in the mist, the weird circus, the seemingly casual but mu*derous hot spring town, the tragic team battles where human beings have to kill each other… The only goal of struggling to survive was to reach end point of the cruise ship alive with her companions – to Paradise.

*natal year in Chinese zodiac is a year where a person’s age equal to a multiple of 12. <<less

“Mysteries are composed of phenomena and interpretations, Fukamachi-kun.”... more>>

University student Fukamachi Naoya possessed ears that could hear people’s lies, isolating him from others. After deciding to take “Folklore Studies 2” on a whim, he somehow caught the attention of Takatsuki Akira, the associate professor in charge of the lectures. This man immediately becomes excited whenever he encounters a mystery, so Naoya becomes his assistant whose role is to “bring him back to earth.”

As the two became closer, Naoya discovered that Takatsuki’s eyes occasionally turned blue like the night sky and the man possessed perfect memory.

In reality, Takatsuki also experienced something strange when he was young… <<less

An unexpected cohabitation with a stranger changed Lin Beixiu's life in various ways. Through the memories of a song and their repeated interactions together, Lin Beixiu realized that they were not strangers at all.
"Although I lost you once, this time I will hold onto you tightly."... more>>

All encounters in the world are reunions after a long separation. This is a story about reunion. <<less

On the day of the entrance ceremony, Mitsuru Toudou regained memories of his past life upon seeing the school's signboard. Realizing he had reincarnated into a romance game he once enjoyed, he discovers he's the ultimate villain.
Unintentionally, he disrupts the event where the protagonist and heroine first meet. Despite his efforts to avoid destruction, he ends up being adored by the heroine. Even adored by the extras, teachers, his sister, and the principal!?... more>>

Featuring a yandere heroine stalker, a delinquent yankee girl, a limit-breaking otaku girl, and other unique characters. This is the story of a protagonist reincarnated as a villain in a game world, striving to avoid his fate of destruction using his past knowledge and experiences to lead a happy youth. <<less

Two years have passed since he failed to save the other world and returned to reality.... more>>

When I was looking for a job, the police asked me to exorcise. <<less

Everyone has seen the ruthless side of Qin Song, the arrogant Qin Song, but no one has seen him holding a little girl in his arms, speaking gently, "Darling, can't you just comfort me a little?"... more>>

Qin Song never expected to be interested in a delicate little candy. He couldn't stand seeing her suffer even a bit, couldn't stand seeing her cry, and especially couldn't stand her smiling at other men. Eventually, that unique candy belonging to him turned into his greed and obsession. However, what he least expected was that the timid little girl would suddenly disappear from his life, leaving him fiercely searching for her. How could she dare to do that? How could she just abandon him like that?

For Ruan Tang, there have been very few truly happy moments in these many years, so few that she can hardly remember. The only year she spent getting to know Qin Song was the most anxious, palpitation-filled, and happiest time for her. The beautiful moments made her forget the cruelty of reality. In the end, she chose to face her own reality, carrying the memories of the two of them.

In the years she was away from him, she relied on the few memories to sustain herself. During those years, he became even more unapproachable, colder, and more ruthless.

When they met again, she wanted to escape with all the unbearable feelings she had, but there was no escaping. This time, he would not allow her to leave him again, even if it meant using despicable means...

Novel Keywords: "His Sweet Candy, Obedient and Sweet" <<less

Luo, a young moss remover with an unfortunate background, and a masked girl who was confined to an abandoned castle, known as the “Child of Misfortune.” The two accidentally meet, part, and eventually reunite by fate.... more>>

A “journey of trials” to save the world from ruin. Awaiting them at the end is either inescapable despair or an unthinkable miracle. A classic and quintessential “boy meets girl” story. This is a love and adventure fantasy from another world. <<less

Nakamura Kou, a second-year high school student whose only strong point is studying, has two childhood friends. They are Hinata Haruka, a high school idol voice actress (JK idol), and Kagekawa Aoi, a popular Vtuber.... more>>

Once close childhood friends, they now find themselves in a tense situation. Their feelings for each other, recognition as rivals, and the burden of their own inadequacies drive them. Amidst their unwavering efforts and dazzling growth, Kou, caught between these two successful adults, wonders if he can reclaim the happy space they once shared.

Enjoy this fresh romantic comedy with a unique love triangle! <<less

There exist in this world a set of six daggers that carry a terrible curse: the ability to inflict a death beyond time. Those under the daggers' curse shall reincarnate without end, never able to know happiness and always drawn to die once more by the dagger. This is the story of "Raine" and "Marie", two souls bound by the daggers' curse to kill one another, over and over again.... more>>

France, 1243. Lapis Lazuli Castle is the name of an insignificant relay fort nestled away in a forest east of Carcassonne. Its ruler, Count Geoffroy, and his only daughter, Marie, are both believed to be insane. The root cause of their shared madness is the mysterious disappearance of Geoffroy's wife three years ago, which caused Geoffroy to grow detached from humanity and cast Marie into a deep depression. After three years of wandering in a state halfway to nonexistence, Marie works up the nerve to ask her chief bodyguard, Sir Raine, to investigate her mother's death, confiding that on the night of her mother's disappearance, she had witnessed something impossible. However, her investigation only prompts a new tragedy.

The French-German border, 1916. As World War I rages on, Raine and Marie's latest reincarnations live the life of a sub-lieutenant in the French army and a medic with the Red Cross, respectively. The two lovers are reunited at the site of the Battle of Verdun, but no sooner have they met then Raine finds himself faced with a barrage of impossible circumstances. An enemy soldier's head suddenly vanishes, right before his eyes. One of his subordinates reports the same thing happening to an ally. Four more headless bodies vanish from a flooded bunker in the minute he looks away. These baffling events are a prelude to the return of their old tragedy.

Northern Hokkaido, 1989. Kimiyo, age eighteen, is already dying, an inoperable tumor in her hypothalamus leaving her with less than a year to live. Refusing to despair in the face of her tragic circumstances, she spends her remaining days with her friends at "The Library at the End of the World", a private library so called due to its isolated nature. One day, a man named Kito approaches her out of the blue, regaling her with a story about a set of cursed daggers, knights in the 13th century, and the two of them being cursed, fated lovers. Naturally, Kimiyo is intensely skeptical, but the events that come next don't require her to believe in them.

Arriving at the scene of these three tragedies is Snowy, an enigmatic figure of indeterminate gender who claims to be "a detective charged with managing the world's chaos". <<less

“In that case, why don’t you guys elope or something!” ... more>>

The second son of the head of a school of flower arranging, Haruomi, is unable to forget his first love.

He refuses the arranged marriage proposal from his older brother and runs out of the house. The one who appears before him is his first love- Taiga. He meets him after many years and for some reason, after hearing about the circumstances, Taiga offers to pretend to be his lover and follows Haruomi home.

However, Haruomi’s older brother is on very bad terms with Taiga and strongly opposes their relationship. With Taiga leading Haruomi by the hand, their elopement lifestyle begins.

Ordinary broadminded seme x airheaded admirable uke. Romantic comedy of two absurd newlyweds♡ <<less

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