A dangerous game in the secluded girls’ dormitory— During winter break, only four art club members remained in the girls’ dormitory. There was the absent-minded and gentle club president, Okimoto; the book-obsessed genius, Miwa; the carefree and bubbly, Serika; and indecisive me, Choko Kugasaki. We spent our time playing—going on picnics, playing chess, and bathing together. But our aimless chatter and dreamy daydreams would soon come to an end. Because I was put in a position where I had to choose—between Serika and Miwa. A love triangle. I have to decide the course of love. Winner of the 1st Shogakukan Light Novel Award for Excellence in Expectations. Originally titled "The Garden of Imaginary Numbers."
"Why'd you say goodbye to me?" The beautiful new transfer student is his ex-girlfriend?! When Richi Kogure was in middle school, he was in a secret relationship with his beautiful and aloof classmate Nairu Shibuya. The two of them used to spend sweetly intense moments in the biology room after school without anyone knowing, but Nairu abruptly transferred schools and said goodbye without any warning. Now, she ends up back in his class, and even worse, she just happens to be sitting right next to him! Even though Richi wants to ignore Nairu, he can't help but notice how much more mature and beautiful she's gotten since middle school. Nairu, on the other hand, keeps giving Richi the cold shoulder while making cryptic remarks . . . He feels like he is completely at her mercy, but what are her true feelings?
A girl with zero romantic experience ends up living with an AI boy? Mikoto Futahashi is a geeky office worker with no real friends, no romantic experience, and nothing to show for her life but her love of game characters. But on her twenty-fifth birthday, she meets a handsome young man named Nao who claims to be an AI robot that has escaped from a research facility. And somehow, he ends up living together with her?! As time goes on, Mikoto's boring life gradually begins to get more vivid. The one thing that bothers her is the melancholy expression Nao shows at unexpected moments. Eventually, their story begins to move in an unexpected direction . . . Don't miss this debut novel from celebrity Mao Mita.
A happy life begins with a sudden marriage between an elf and a human . . . The half-elf Mythra is a princess of low-rank with no place in her nomadic elf tribe. Her engagement is annulled due to her family status and she ends up married to Aslan, a human alchemist living in a frontier town. "I only brought a hundred animals with me . . . " "You brought a hundred animals!?" The nomadic elf from the vast, harsh outdoors and the alchemist from the city both have entirely different ideas of common sense, yet they gradually get to know more about each other and learn to cooperate in this story of inter-cultural exchange between elf and human newlyweds.
Jealousy exposes lies in this school youth detective tale. Meet Kanna Hebitani, a sophomore who detests beautiful flowers and loves the misery of weeds. It's astonishingly easy for freshman Kei Nomizu to get lost in her beauty when she remains silent, but once she opens her mouth, he's flooded in a deluge of sharp words. She prefers to describe herself through what she dislikes rather than what she likes. The guiding principle for her every action is jealousy. The motive behind her desire to solve the school's mysteries is of course also jealousy, and her ultimate aim is to corner wrongdoers and intellectually torture them. Kei can't respect her at all, and yet he can't help but find this quirky senior cool. Youth cannot end with beauty alone. A school youth detective story uncovering lies with jealousy.
"I'm happy, Hoku . . . As long as I have you, that's all I need." Hokuto is a high school boy who starts dating the beautiful, eccentric upperclassman Saoko, despite his mutual, tender love with his childhood friend Haru. They first met as children, spending countless days together. But what Haru doesn't know is that she's actually Hokuto's biological younger twin sister. Determined to protect her from the truth, Hokuto begins to push her away, hiding his pain. Little Haru, always crying, always scared . . . she's the one Hokuto cherishes most in the world. But as the weight of their blood ties bears down on him, he struggles to suppress his feelings. And Haru? She loves him with her whole heart, unaware of the secret tearing him apart. What fate awaits these star-crossed siblings, caught between love, truth, and a bond that was never meant to be?
A heartwarming tale of love, magic, and embroidery that begins with a contract marriage. Labeled incompetent and cast aside by her family, the young seamstress Sera loses even her fiancé to her younger sister. Just as despair begins to settle in, a surprising offer arrives from Count Alexis, a nobleman rumored to be cold and unfeeling. He proposes a marriage in name only. Seeing it as a chance to start over, Sera accepts. As she pours herself into the craft she loves most—sewing—she finds unexpected warmth in her new life, wrapped in the quiet kindness of her enigmatic husband. What begins as a mere contract slowly transforms into something real, as Sera's feelings deepen into true love. But there's more to her embroidery than delicate threadwork, as her creations carry a hidden power capable of altering fate itself for the lives around her. This is the story of a young woman who, after losing everything, finds happiness again through an unlikely partnership and the magic hidden in her stitches. A gentle love fantasy set on the fringes of noble society.
What we saw in the old school building was a corpse dressed in a spacesuit . . . "Our youth was stolen!" In July of 2023, after the national state of emergency has been lifted and normalcy is returning to Japan, two high schoolers sneak into their old abandoned school building late at night to make one last memory before their lives are consumed with studying for their college entrance exams. Their hearts race with curiosity and the allure of doing something forbidden as they open the old storage room door. And, on the other side lies a skeleton wearing a spacesuit! Is the corpse actually real? Why are they wearing a spacesuit? Reuniting with their other two childhood friends, they name the corpse Charlie and strive to unravel the bizarre mystery throughout their final summer of high school. Winner of the 18th Shogakukan Light Novel Award of Excellence.
A salesperson saves another world!? Alec is chosen as an envoy of the gods fated to defeat a demon lord by pulling out a legendary sword. The king selects a capable party of extraordinary individuals for his party: a warrior, a mage, a priest, and Hayashi from sales. "Huh? Who's Hayashi and what's sales!?" "I'm the kind of person who says, 'Thank you for all your help.'" "I haven't helped you at all! We've never even met!" Alec cannot hide his surprise at this man with his neatly-parted hair, strange black clothing, and suspicious smile. This is an epic tale filled with laughter, tears, and Hayashi from sales, as a hero's party journeys to defeat a demon lord.
Guaranteed to give you heartburn! An adorable boy-meets-girl love comedy with mutually unrequited love! "Koharu is a prestigious beauty with a perpetually salty demeanor towards everyone. But only I know that she’s surprisingly gullible. She's terrible at taking pictures yet often wears a smug expression. And when she smiles, it's just so adorable." "Sota is kind to everyone. But nobody but me knows that he can be a bit mean at times. He's adept at using social media and works as a waiter at a stylish café. When he flashes his mischievous smile, I get butterflies in my stomach." "This is a secret, but I really like him." "It's a secret, but I really like her" An innocent yet tantalizing first love ramps the feels up to a hundred and tweny percent! A sugary-sweet adolescent romantic comedy of two unrequited loves!
I want to be together, and yet, I don’t?! Waves crash in this turbulent romance! High school student Iku occasionally finds himself with a "face that looks like he might kill someone." It's unclear whether this has anything to do with his father, who is the leader of a new religious cult. Iku has been living apart from his father for years, treating him as if he doesn't exist. However, he cannot reveal the truth to his childhood friend and fellow high school student, Tokiwa, whose mother is deeply involved in the cult. Iku feels conflicted about Tokiwa, who remains unaware and continues to interact with him. Meanwhile, his mysterious classmate, the fortune-telling girl Nanase, starts approaching him for some reason, seemingly aware of a secret regarding Iku and his father. This is a rolling, must-read youth and romance story by Mitsunori Enami, author of "Strange Voice."
A Lavish Supernatural Battle-Girl Fantasy! A supernatural fantasy featuring a fierce battle between two nations: the Empire, which wields magic, and the Theocracy, which employs Angel Arts. Both are secretly vying for control over the rare Saints, ten miraculous beings with extraordinary powers. The outcome of this battle hinges on which nation is able to secure a Saint first. Mary, the Empire's top mage and an assassin called the Grim Reaper, is tasked with infiltrating a papal state all-girls boarding school to eliminate a protected Saint. This story focuses on the Grim Reaper's encounter with this Saint, revealing the harsh realities faced by these girls.
Hey . . . big brother, can we do it tonight as well . . . ? Yosuke Mazekawa wields the unique power to seal away the supernatural by solving mysteries linked to non-human entities. His younger sister, Yuhi, who harbors a secret of her own, serves as his trusted assistant. When Kanade Shiraha, a detective from Division Six's investigation team, requests their help, the duo travels to the village of Ijiru, where an unsettling case of arson and death by fire has occurred. The village is steeped in strange folklore about the Fire Fox, leading to rumors that this supernatural entity might be responsible. With the assistance of Yume Harumiya, the village head's niece, Yosuke and Yuhi dive into the investigation, only to uncover an even deeper and more perplexing mystery. This thrilling tale introduces a fresh kind of mystery-solving duo—a brother and sister team who together tackle the supernatural!
How many versions of myself must I surpass to truly find who I am? Nineteen-year-old Nao finds himself face-to-face with Yura, the VR character he created for Rino Akesumi when they were just 15. Reunited through Yura's mysterious wish, Nao and Rino are drawn back into each other's lives. Now a rising star in the entertainment industry, Rino shines brightly but continues her solitary search for a place where she truly belongs. Seeing her again stirs up memories in Nao—memories of their 'first time' together in the school infirmary, the sweet moments they shared, and the unfulfilled promise that still haunts him. As these fragments of longing and inner conflict resurface, Nao is forced to confront the gap between reality and his ideals. Together, they begin to unravel the true purpose behind Yura's sudden appearance—a journey that will reveal the deeper truths they've both been avoiding. In this young adult fantasy, characters lost in their own struggles come together to face the conflicts that define them.
Fun, Carefree, Casual Relationship Fuyu Yamase, weary from his toxic job, reconnects with Ito Minase, his ex-girlfriend from university, and invites her out for a drink. As they reminisce about old times, the conversation flows easily, and they enjoy each other's company. In the haze of alcohol, their casual evening takes an unexpected turn, leading them into an intimate encounter. Feeling a pang of regret afterward, Fuyu is about to apologize when Ito, with a serious gaze, interrupts him. "Don't apologize," she says firmly. "Don't talk about making things right. Let's just enjoy things and have fun." Ito, too, seems burdened by societal expectations and the hassles of adulthood. Together, they forge an unconventional relationship where work, romance, and societal pressures are set aside. Instead, they focus on finding solace and enjoyment in each other's company, embracing a life free from the constraints of conventional norms.
Feelings that can't be hidden—love. “Satsuki, you’re so cool . . .” Satsuki Fukase, a boy with psychometry abilities, unexpectedly hears the inner voice of Yayoi, a beautiful but aloof girl known for keeping to herself. Though they’d normally have no reason to interact, this moment connects them. But Yayoi, full of mysteries, harbors a secret even bigger than her hidden feelings. Can Satsuki and Yayoi, whose hearts are so close yet so far, overcome the barriers between them? The romantic comedy of unrequited love begins—between a boy who hears inner voices and a girl who conceals her emotions!
This summer, I lost you twice. Rin Moriyama, who suddenly transferred to our school, was suffering from an incurable disease. Together, we played music, shared the best moments, and then, Rin died. What I was left with was an irreparable, singular regret—the words I should never have said. If only I hadn't said what I did, surely Rin would have been smiling until the very end... The second summer. A time leap. I meet Rin again. Once more, I see that radiant smile. Within this miracle granted by a single summer, I will lie to myself. I hope her short life will be filled with smiles...