"I must not get involved with this man... but I want to know this sparkle..." Novelist Jun Maka made a brilliant debut with his novel "The Correct Way to Use a Knife," which was inspired by a real-life murder committed by a minor. A few years have passed, and his output has steadily increased, but he feels empty and unfulfilled every day. Then, one day, a man named Nishi appears before Maka and asks for instruction on "how to write a novel." He criticizes Maka's work and says that he is the culprit behind the crime that Maka used as a model. "I was stabbed and mangled by that novel." A novelist and a murderer are drawn to each other's brilliance and destroy each other. A human mystery begins, intertwining fiction and crime.

The "Witch of the Forest of Death," rumored to be greedy and cruel, is actually Licorice, a young witch who succeeded her grandmother. One day, the King's brother comes to her in the forest seeking poison. She refuses, but the King's brother takes a liking to Licorice...? (Source: Kadokawa, translated)

Riho, who grew up all alone, was adopted by the Hanabishi family and spent harsh days being oppressed by everyone around her. And on her 17th birthday, Riho is told by her adoptive father to become Ayakashi's "sacrifice". However, the ayakashi emperor who appeared in front of Riho, who was in despair, seemed to have intended to welcome her as a "bride" instead of a "sacrifice" -!? Source: MU

Tenkai Kaya is a hairdresser. She makes a living by styling and arranging her clients' hair, and tailoring their clothing as well. Though an orphan, she has relied on her skills to survive. However, she receives a marriage proposal bordering on blackmail, nearly losing her job. Just when all hope seems lost, a helping hand is extended to Umekage Sai, a man with whom her late mother had a marriage contract. He tells her that if she joins the Umenomiya family, where he serves, she can protect both her work and her personal life. Desperate to break free from her current situation and understand her mother's intentions, Kaya resolves to marry Sai. And in the house she marries, she is told by the master, Miyuki, who claims to be a living god, to become his personal hairdresser…!? (Source: Kadoakwa, translated)

Lulu, the daughter of a poor merchant, became the maid of the Marquis to pay off her debts. The head of the family, Gerald, seems to be an elite noble admired by the ladies, but in front of my childhood friend, I don't like him! I'll quit being a maid as soon as I can! ……While I was working feverishly, I was asked to sleep with him who said "Be honest and be pampered by me." Is that the job of a maid!? Source: MU

Eighteen-year-old Shinya Fukazawa was depressed after failing his university entrance exams and suffering from an inferiority complex towards his accomplished older brother. One day, he is asked to help out at his beloved grandmother's donut shop in Kyoto. However, what awaited Shinya in Kyoto was not the simple donut shop he remembered, but a neon-lit, late-night donut shop perfect for social media. Furthermore, the shop manager had changed to Ren, a strikingly handsome, seemingly frivolous giant. At first, Shinya was stubborn, but as he is spoiled by Ren and helps out at the donut shop, he gradually begins to change. A heartwarming story that fills both stomach and heart, brought to you by a late-night donut shop. (Source: Kadokawa, translated)

Cover Illustration: Asumiko Nakamura 1. **Natsuiro no Hada no Kimi** (夏色の肌のキミ) \[Chihaya Aki\] 2. **Heart ni Straight!** (ハートにストレート!) \[Iyada\] 3. **Yuudoku no Anata** (有毒のあなた) \[Gojiai\] 4. **Sotsuen** (卒煙) \[Aya Zenzai\] 5. **Rakka no Hoshi** (落下の星) \[Makine Kureta\] 6. **Suki ni Shite Hoshikute** (好きにして欲しくて) \[Satoru Okamoto\] 7. **Unmei no Ai wa Ichi Ke** (運命の愛は一毛) \[Tako Nonoshima\] 8. **Namagoroshi no Koigokoro** (生殺しの恋心) \[Nanpo\] 9. **Charan to Poran** (ちゃらんとぽらん) \[Pesotarou\] 10. **Hametsu no Mi** (破滅の実) \[Kanenari Tokiha\] 11. **Kiss of Loyalty** \[Yuu Minazuki\] 12. **Beautiful Word** \[Mitsuaki Asou\] 13. **Ii Heya** (いい部屋) \[Asumiko Nakamura\]

The one who saved the oppressed young lady was... a squirrel. Amelia, the daughter of an earl, was abused by her family and hated by her fiancé Cedric, who considered her unfriendly.But that didn't bother her. One day, while she was finding comfort in her beloved job as a pharmacist, someone came to visit her...Cedric, who had been poisoned by someone and turned into a squirrel!? *"Please let me stay in this room,"* he demanded her, and so began this strange cohabitation with her nagging, fluffy fiancé (the squirrel). (Source: Kadokawa, translated)

I am currently attending my own funeral - in order to find the person who killed me. Illustrator Yona Kaminaga is summoned to a retrospective exhibition of her mother, Maria Daichi, a genius painter who died young. When she reveals the existence of a painting that her mother left only to Yona, the looks on the others' faces change.. And that night, she is attacked by someone who tries to steal the painting...!? Will the "fake" discover the truth hidden within the painting? (Source: Kodansha, translated)

England, early 20th century. Ronnie, a newspaper reporter who has been demoted to a local newspaper in a rural town, has lost sight of the meaning of working as a reporter. One day, news arrives in town that renowned researcher Dr. Ainsworth is returning home. Since then, strange events have been occurring in the town... (The Rose-Colored Gear) In a world where advancing science is driving out magic, wizard Everett visits the desert town of Eway on a mission to retrieve the "blue crystals" that bring misfortune to the world. There, he meets Fana, a girl who is hated and called the "witch's daughter" by the locals. Fana treasures the "blue crystal" that was a memento of her mother... (The Wizard of Portada) The curtain rises on a grand fantasy that travels between two different worlds! (Source: Shueisha, translated)