A genius schemer, creating an emperor!... more>>

“Only when your brother is happy can you be happy.”

She committed all kinds of evil deeds to make him Emperor. However, Artezia’s devotion was repaid with betrayal. It was the Grand Duke Cedric, a righteous enemy, that gave her a hand of salvation at the threshold of death.

“Devise a plan.”
“…”
“I can’t think of anyone but you who can reverse this situation. Marquess Rosan.”
“…”
“Lend me your strength.”

There is no plan that can reverse the already declining power and save the fallen empire. However, there is a method. To turn back time before everything went wrong.

With tears of blood she sacrificed her body to an ancient magic. This time, she will not fall.

Artezia, who returned to the age of 18 before death, resolved to become a villainess for the Grand Duke Cedric.

“Please give me your hand in marriage. I’ll make you emperor.”

In exchange for kneeling to the devil, the devil shall dirty her hands for you. <<less

In the thirtieth year, on a moonlit night, with the landscape adorned in splendor and the lotus pond full beneath the glowing moon. Princess Li Ying of Yong’an, gentle and kind-hearted, tragically drowned in the palace lotus pond at the age of sixteen. The Emperor, in his deep sorrow, nearly lost the will to live. Upon closer investigation, it was discovered that the princess had been pushed into the pond and drowned by her fiancé. In his rage, the Emperor executed the entire family of the fiancé, a noble family of high standing. This event severely weakened the power of the aristocratic families, while the commoners began to rise in power, leading to the commencement... more>> of the Taichang Reforms.

After the Emperor’s passing, history books later referred to him as the “Saint Ruler of the Renaissance” due to the Taichang Reforms. The mother of Li Ying, Consort Jiang, who had once been a palace maid, ascended to the position of Imperial Concubine, and eventually Empress, and later even crowned herself Emperor, alongside the Taichang Emperor, as two Saints. Everything they achieved was rooted in the early death of their beloved daughter, Li Ying.

Thirty years later, during a prosperous and peaceful era, while the people mourned the untimely death of the princess, they also found solace in the fact that her death had brought about so many changes. However, the soul of the young princess, still lingering in the mortal realm, appeared wearing the green silk gown she had worn when she drowned. Her face, preserved at the age of sixteen, with its delicate beauty, found the infamous and ruthless Minister of Affairs, Cui Xun, who was plagued by countless illnesses. She said to him, “I need your help to investigate a case.”

She continued, “I want you to find out who killed me.”

Evil spirits turn to demons, and if one has already become a demon, why bother with becoming a Buddha? <<less

A collection of short stories written to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the professional debut of Alice Arisugawa, a prolific mystery novelist and founder and first president of the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan. ... more>>

Each story was written by a different young author, using characters, settings, and concepts appearing in Arisugawa’s stories.

Featured stories:

Rope, Cable, Cord by Yugo Aosaki: The police ask professor of sociology and “Consulting Criminologist” Hideo Himura – and Himura in turn asks his friend, mystery novelist Alice Arisugawa – for assistance in an investigation. The victim of a robbery-mu*der is found, covered in marks due to having been bound by a rope, but no rope is left behind. Security camera footage shows that three people threw away objects that could have been used to tie her after the mu*der, but which of them was the culprit’s tool: the rope, the cable, or the cord?

Enclosed in Clothes by Michi Ichiho: Alice is asked by his neighbor Saori Mano, a teacher at an all-girls school, to help her with a problem. She is substituting as advisor to the Drama Club, and one of her students had her uniform stolen during club activities. The police can’t be involved due to the administration’s fear of scandal, so going to outside help is her only option. But even if they’re able to set foot on school grounds during the school festival, can two 34 year old men solve a case in the foreign land of a school for girls?

The Ghost Story Dedicated to Hideo Himua by Kyoya Origami: A fan of scary stories Alice met at a publishing event regales him and Himura with a series of true stories about horrifying events that happened to him. Himura and Alice attempt to come up with rational explanations for all his tales.

Black Mirror by Tomoyuki Shirai: The narrator, an arrogant yet neurotic man, is called out of the blue by an old college friend, Eiji Kagami, who will be in his area in a few months and wants to go out to eat. But at the meeting, Eiji behaves oddly, and the next day, the police call the narrator in for questioning. Eiji’s stepfather, a marriage fraudster who drove Eiji’s mother to su*cide, was mu*dered the day of their meeting, and the police suspect Eiji and his identical twin brother Koichi. But both brothers appear to have solid alibis…

The Man Who Read (And Disliked) Alice Arisugawa by Haruo Yuki: Mystery novelist Haruo Yuki is on a “research trip” (which he treats more like a paid vacation) to a small hot spring town in the mountains, where he meets a waitress with an unusual story: her cousin hates the works of Alice Arisugawa with a fiery, all-consuming passion, and yet he’s read everything the man ever published. Why has her cousin read over fifty stories by an author he knows he doesn’t like?

The Panic of Mountain Monk Jizō by Tatsumi Atsukawa: Twenty years ago, Ryoji Aono would go to Bar April every Sunday and meet with his friends to listen to the tales of Jizō, a man who dressed like a mountain ascetic and who claimed to come across tales of mystery everywhere he went. But Jizō hasn’t shown his face in two decades, and now, Ryoji’s video rental business has also closed down. Deciding to take some time off at a new bar, Ryoji is stunned to see Jizō once again, having not aged a day since their last meeting …So why is he so much worse at telling stories now?

The Molded Corpse Speaks by Masahiro Imamura: At a job-hunting event, Kōjirō Oda of the Eito University Mystery Club meets a man from another school with an interesting story: a member of his own school’s mystery club once pranked him by leaving a chalk outline and a dying message in his apartment while he was out. The members of the Eito U. Mystery Club put their heads together in an attempt to unravel the dying message, which was never solved, and uncover a much deeper truth than they suspected. <<less

I am the driver of the last bus of Route 13. Every night at 11 PM, I make a trip to the suburbs...... more>>

This book is addictive, so don't blame me if you get hooked! In this novel, you might find that even the most accurate predictors of plot twists will be proven wrong time and time again. As you read, you might catch yourself asking, "What's going on? What's going on?" Don't doubt yourself-just keep reading.

A suspenseful story to save book-starved readers! <<less

As the grandmaster of demonic cultivation, Wei Wuxian roamed the world, hated by millions for committing acts of necromancy. Overthrown by the powerful clans he had attempted to subjugate, Wei Wuxian is supposedly killed by his shidi in order to save the cultivation world. ... more>>

Restored to life in the body of Mo Xuanyu, the local cut-sleeve lunatic, in order to exact revenge on his abusive relatives, Wei Wuxian quickly finds himself spiralling back into his old life when he’s taken away by the cold-hearted, stern, and ultimately quite boring Lan Wangji – who might be harbouring warmer feelings than contempt. Perhaps of the…romantic kind?

But despite his new beginning, Wei Wuxian begins to unravel a decade and a half long mystery that is set to undo the very fabric of the cultivation world as they know it.

A mysterious, action-packed thriller of a ride, this is a journey you won’t want to miss! <<less

Espers are guaranteed sufficient guiding in exchange for serving the state.... more>>

Except for runaway espers.

Runaway espers, due to their unstable metrics, are like ticking time bombs that could go on a rampage again at any moment.

Shin Joo-hyun, who went on a rampage immediately upon manifestation and spent 11 years being used by the Association like a dog, lived a life far removed from guiding despite being an esper.

In front of him appears Cha In-ho, a famous actor who manifested late at the age of 26 as a guide.

And he has come to be matched with a runaway esper.

“From now on, I will be your matching guide, Joo-hyun. Please take care of me.”

But this guide, for some reason, keeps acting like he knows Joo-hyun…

“I am the only person who knows Joo-hyun.

And you are the only one who knows me.”

Will Shin Joo-hyun be able to uncover Cha In-ho’s true identity?

Read If:

You want to see a cold, prickly, handsome Bottom hopelessly fall for a mostly gentle Matching Guide, and a beautiful, warm-hearted Top who eventually throws away his plans and regrets his hesitation once he accepts his true feelings.

Highlight quote:

"Shin Joo-hyun. Don’t make me really angry, come here.” <<less

He traveled thousands of miles back home to attend his brother’s wedding.... more>>

Mu Yu was the child born from his father’s affair. The Mu family never liked him.

Neither did Mu Hanxiao. <<less

Seok Mun-pyeong, the 3rd Team Leader of the Soul-Slaying Unit—one of the most peripheral posts in the entire Demonic Cult—didn't think much of it when the War of the Demonic Dragons, the contest to select the cult's next successor, was suddenly canceled. Even the outlandish news that the Cult Leader, a figure revered as the sky above the sky, had accomplished Rejuvenation was just a distant rumor to him.... more>>

He never imagined that this monumental event would become a fire dropped squarely on his own feet.

“Naturally, I’m not asking you to perform the standard duties of a Majeong. As you well know, you are not suited for such work. The role I have for you is something different. I want you to be His shadow, and at the same time, His tail.”

'No way... when he says 'Him,' does he mean the 'Him' I'm thinking of?'

Seok Mun-pyeong was thrown into confusion. It sounded like madness, but the official's expression was dead serious. A chill began to creep down his spine.

'So, a Demonic Shadow is 'His' shadow, and I'm supposed to be both the shadow and the tail? A 'tail' means to track and report on His movements... Is he really ordering me to spy on the supreme Cult Leader?!'

“...Me?” <<less

Ever since he traveled to this world, Shen Qianling has been troubled by three things the most. The first is too many fans, the second is too many fans, and the third is too many fans.... more>>

Qin Shaoyu: “Another group of people came from down the mountain and said they wanted to learn how to make rainfall from you.”

Shen Qianling was shocked. “When did I master this skill?” <<less

Humans, once the masters of Earth, were losing their place to the inexplicable phenomena known as Objects.... more>>

And this is a story about becoming an Object and living worry-free in the Seoul of such a world. <<less

[Yandere + Love Triangle + Second Playthrough + Battle of Wits + Eerie + Lovecraftian + Death Rewind] ... more>>

This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game.

The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions.

However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game.

Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw!

To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards.

For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure.

Worried about characters losing affection points? No need.

With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back.

It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers.

However...

Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game.

His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes.

Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls."

Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes...

The type who will kill you if they can't have you...

Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left.

"I really just want to survive..."

In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes. <<less

Wang Yanqing’s father died in battle. She was adopted as an orphan by the Marquis of Zhenyuan. She loved Fu Tingzhou for ten years and would go through fire and water for him. However, this woman carried a family history full of scars, and ultimately, Fu Tingzhou sought another woman to marry. ... more>>

Ten years of effort turned out to be a joke.

Fu Tingzhou accompanied his fiancé to buy incense outside the city, completely forgetting that it was Wang Yanqing’s birthday. On the road, they encountered an ambush and Fu Tingzhou became busy protecting his fiancée. While defending Fu Tingzhou, Wang Yanqing lost her footing and fell off a cliff.

After waking up, she lost her memory and only knew that she had to repay her gratitude. The man sitting in front of her bed smiled and reached out to touch her head: “Qing Qing, have you forgotten? You were plotted against by the Fu family and lost your memory. We’ve always known each other; we were childhood sweethearts."

She didn’t know that the man sitting in front of her was the renowned commander of the Imperial Guards, Lu Heng. He was also an old enemy of the Fu family. He was the main culprit of the assassination attempt on Fu Tingzhou that resulted in Wang Yanqing falling off the cliff.

After Wang Yanqing was taken, Fu Tingzhou went crazy. Fu Tingzhou rushed to the Imperial Guards desperately. Just as he asked Wang Yanqing to leave with him, he was stabbed by her sword.

Fu Tingzhou looked up in shock to see her acting coquettishly with another person: “Older brother, I caught the Fu traitor.”

Wang Yanqing didn’t know that after she walked away, Lu Heng drove the sword deeper and smiled at Fu Tingzhou: “Thanks for taking care of Qing Qing for the past few years. What a pity. Now she is mine.” <<less

Paula, the daughter of a poor peasant.... more>>

By chance, she is hired as the maid of the prestigious Count Bellunita.

But the owner she has to serve can’t see.

She thought it would be so difficult to serve the blind master.

The problem is that his personality is too sassy!

The story of a master who has lost his sight and has a dirty temper, and a maid who went through all sorts of hardships <<less

To love someone deeply is to wish to imprison them with a golden lock.... more>>

When Duan Yelin first saw Xu Hang, he wanted to lock him up and hide his beauty in the golden house—in fact, he did so.

If he seized him by force, he is a robber; if he is being patient and indifferent, he will be meat in someone else's chopsticks.

Xu Hang was unwilling, but he wanted to live. There were still many things he had not done, so he finally entered Xiaotong Guan.

It's a long-standing battle.

Even after four years of entanglement, Xu Hang always seemed like a bowl of freshly brewed medicine, with a faint aroma, but only after drinking it could one know whether it was poison or antidote.

It was a long time later that Duan Yelin realized that what he had locked up was not a cold and arrogant golden sparrow but a cold and sharp golden hairpin. <<less

“Sometimes, secrets we can’t fathom crawl through the shadows of London.”... more>>

The protagonist finds herself trapped in a horror VR game that was set in 19th-century London, a city teeming with crime. She wakes up in the body of Jane Osmond, the assistant to the cynical and socially awkward genius detective, Liam Moore.

Her goal is simple: reach the game’s ending and return safely to the real world. However, as she and Liam unravel the mysteries of their cases, the game’s features gradually disappear, and the world, which should be mere data, feels disturbingly real.

“Who am I?”

To make matters worse, her memories of her real-life self start to fade, plunging Jane into shock.

Then, she realizes one more unsettling truth: the gray eyes of Liam Moore, who is supposed to be just an NPC, are always fixed solely on her. <<less

Welcome to the live-broadcast, ultra-realistic, simulation game [mu*der Scene Analysis] (Rookie qualification test). The identity you applied for is [Victim]. The memory related to the case has been blocked. Please try to avoid the outcome of death with the help from in-game hints, or assist the [mu*derer] and [Investigators] to complete the scenario restoration.... more>>

Identity: Wang Dongyan (Alias).

Method of death: Jumping off a building (Recorded in file).

Player Evaluation Score: 92 (A genius like you should be able to crack the case, right?)

Character Compatibility Rate: 36% (You and the victim are two entirely different people).

Su*cide Advancement: 87% (Your character is already on the edge of a mental breakdown). <<less

I became the villain in the story of a hero.... more>>

So I was about to quit after fighting the main character.

But she’s obsessed with me. Why...? <<less

* This work contains elements of coercion.... more>>

「Beware of the evil that corrupts the pure.

Resist the allure of their sweetness.

Never be beguiled by the devil.

-Holy Bible Chapter 1, The Three Commandments of the Demon」

Renie Valois, who grew up enduring harsh ab*se.

In her struggle to escape from her tyrant-like father, she stumbles upon an old, decrepit chapel.

‘Let’s make a deal, child.’

There, she encounters a strangely captivating voice.

‘I’ll help you.’

“……”

‘But in return, you must become mine.’

A sweet voice, proclaiming itself as a god, made a proposition to me.

Tired of being ab*sed, Renie makes a choice she can’t take back…

* * *

Renie forcefully pushed away his hands that were roughly groping her br*asts and twisted her body.

She crawled on the floor, desperately trying to get away, but of course, Kahn wouldn’t let her go so easily.

Like a predator cornering its prey, he watched her intently, then suddenly pounced on her.

Due to the significant difference in size, it was as if she was being crushed under a boulder.

“Why do you keep running away, Renie?”

“Let go. Let go of me…!”

“If you keep struggling, I might end up breaking those pretty ankles of yours.”

As if to warn her not to take his warning lightly, the man gently stroked the area around her ankle.

[New Releases every Saturday] <<less

Two high school boys, suddenly forced to confront life and death—WELL portrays their intense bond of love and hate. HOPE tells the story of Tamura, a college student who becomes the leader of a group of survivors, exploring his hopes for survival, his inner struggles, and the ethical dilemmas he faces. Together, these works weave an unusual coming-of-age tapestry set in a post-apocalyptic world, blending BL themes with science fiction.... more>>

This edition also includes a brand-new short story written specifically for this volume, depicting what happens to the characters after the events of HOPE. <<less

Rasmus, a werewolf living as a hitman among humans, receives a contract from a mafia boss to kill the famous Hollywood actor Harley Kirkwood. However,... more>> upon meeting Harley, Rasmus realizes that he is the boy he couldn't bring himself to kill ten years ago. Harley, sensing Rasmus's hesitation, proposes a deal: protect him until the end of the movie shoot, and then kill him. Rasmus accepts Harley's proposal. As he stays by Harley's side, Rasmus discovers that, despite appearing to seek only thrills and excitement, Harley is actually a deeply wounded and sensitive person. They clash several times over Harley's suspicious behavior and drug use, but Rasmus finds himself unable to hate him. Meanwhile, Harley, suspecting Rasmus's true identity, throws away Rasmus's estrus medication to uncover the truth... <<less

After her death, Xu Zhizhi transmigrates to a parallel world and becomes a celebrity in the entertainment industry with the same name. She also acquires a criminal assistance system. The original Xu Zhizhi had some fame, with appearance and endorsement fees that could last her three years. Thinking it over, Xu Zhizhi decides to make the best of her new life. However, she arrives too late; this world values acting skills highly. The original Xu Zhizhi had offended some people by refusing to engage in unspoken rule practices, resulting in her being cast as an antagonist in a low-budget crime investigation drama. If she refuses, she faces a breach of contract penalty of 5 million... more>> Yuan.

Faced with the choice between acting as a criminal or becoming one, Xu Zhizhi decisively chooses the former. Thus begins her journey of portraying criminals with the standards of a real one. “As long as I act well, I can stay in the entertainment industry until I retire.” With her role as a psychopathic mu*derer in a low-budget online crime investigation drama, she leaves a deep impression on all the viewers.

Viewer 1: [I swear I’ve seen that look in a mu*derer’s eyes. Xu Zhizhi has the same look. Someone should investigate her.]

Viewer 2: [So terrifying! Is she really not the mastermind behind it all?]

Viewer 3: [I can’t look at her too long. I feel like she’ll appear in front of me and hit me in the head.]

Later, Xu Zhizhi becomes a unique specialist in playing antagonists in the entertainment industry, relying on skills like forgery, theft, lock-picking, fraud, and dissection. When she wins the Best Actress award, everyone believes she’s simply acting as herself. <<less

Ryuuzen Yuki is going to kill someone.... more>>

Specifically, the three corrupt figures in the television industry who mu*dered his childhood friend. The need for revenge burns deep in Yuki’s soul. He is only able to keep sane by clinging to his three self-imposed rules for revenge:

No matter what happens, act alone.

Do not involve anyone other than your targets.

If you fail, admit your crimes without complaint.

The stage for Yuki’s revenge will be Kakuriyo Island, a small tidal island south of Kagoshima Prefecture whose population was wiped out long ago in the bizarre mass-mu*der incident known as “The Beast of Kakuriyo Island case”. Though officially solved, the Beast of Kakuriyo Island is still the subject of many unsolved mysteries, not the least of which is the sheer, inhuman brutality of the crimes.

A television production crew comes to Kakuriyo Island to film a true crime special in which Mikumo Echika, an up and coming singer-songwriter and the descendant of the island’s former head priestess, will visit her family’s former home and discuss the incident that claimed her birthright. Yuki, having infiltrated the production as an AD, plans to trap them all and kill all three of his targets on the island with his own two hands.

But his plans are derailed when his first target is slain – by something else. Burning with rage that one of the men who killed Naoko will never suffer for his crimes, Yuki vows to confront both the killer and the remaining victims.

But his new enemy isn’t a mere human. The Beast of Kakuriyo Island is very real, and if Yuki seeks to achieve his revenge, he must learn what it is, how it operates… and how he can work around it and still manage to get away with mu*der.

Placed 13th in the 2022 This Mystery is Amazing! Awards and 7th in the 2022 Honkaku Mystery Best 10. <<less

My name is Lin Yuetian, 23 years old.... more>>

I come from a somewhat chaotic cyberpunk future world and am currently single. I work at a security company and return home punctually at 8 PM every day. I don’t smoke, I only drink lightly, and I go to bed at 11 PM, ensuring I get a full 8 hours of sleep each night. Before sleeping, I always drink a glass of warm milk and do 20 minutes of seated forward bends. Once I’m in bed, I fall asleep immediately and sleep soundly until morning, never letting fatigue or stress carry over to the next day. The 30 or so psychologists I’ve consulted all say I’m perfectly normal.

System: That’s enough, really.

I have a gentle personality, am friendly and reasonable, work diligently, and have excellent interpersonal relationships.

Also, though it may sound a bit arrogant, I know I’m very good-looking. Every morning when I leave the house, I attract at least four groups of cyberpunk-style villains. Naturally, I handle them all.

System: Shouldn’t you start introducing some objective details, my friend?

Ah, yes, I forgot to mention—I am a shark hand, a Gold Medal shark hand. For ten consecutive quarters, I’ve ranked first on the company’s zero-negative-review leaderboard. My goal in life is to earn more money, achieve financial freedom, and happily enjoy life. While I admit I’m incredibly outstanding, I only wish to live a peaceful life.

System: Ha!

I never imagined that after falling asleep, I would inexplicably wake up in various s*um Gong novels, with an extra system in my head—yes, the one who’s been chiming in during my self-introduction. He’s my colleague. Well then, System, why don’t you tell the readers what I need to do?

System: You need to make the s*um Gong fall for you and sincerely regret their actions—wait, what are you doing?

Sharpening my sword—oh, it’s just one of the tools I’ll need to complete my tasks. Don’t worry about me; I’ll make sure the s*um Gongs are both genuinely regretful and thoroughly dealt with.

This story solemnly promises: No s*um Gong will survive, and no innocent systems will be harmed in the process.

System: Ridiculous!!! Absolutely ridiculous!!!!

————

No CP, straightforward revenge-driven story with physical punishment of s*umbags. Confident, highly competent, and slightly unconventional hydrogen-brain protagonist.

A beautiful Shark Hand, crushing s*umbags online. <<less

※ This work contains a relationship with a minor. Please keep this in mind when reading it.... more>>

The intense, scorching sun.

The vivid green leaves of the ivy.

The black sedan sparkling in the sunlight.

The man came with the summer.

The purpose of the man's visit was as obvious as the summer sun.

The unit below Euncho's apartment.

Heejin-unnie, a woman who was like a biological sister to her even though they weren't related.

He came to meet her.

Euncho accidentally witnesses their tangled bodies.

After that day, she keeps running into that man... <<less