Koutei Heika no Osewagakari
Linfeng is 16, and her father has just announced she's going to be a candidate for the emperor's wife, even though he's only 5 years old. Her only other options are the son of an enemy family and the notorious womanizer serving as regent, Canglian, so she goes through with the ceremony alongside several children candidates, but she plays a song that clearly expresses she doesn't want the position. To her surprise, the regent calls her back the next day, and asks her not to be the emperor's wife but his caretaker. Linfeng jumps at the chance and spends her days taking care of the adorable young emperor Ziyhou while getting to know Canglian better and slowly (and inadvertently) winning his affection. Trigger warning: gendered discrimination that is period appropriate, but still frustrating.
Lala no Kekkon
When Lamudan's sister, Lala, falls in love and runs away, abandoning her arranged marriage to the rich and powerful Uruji, Lamudan takes her place, intending to attack Uruji and run away. But really Uruji wanted Lamudan all along, and he's never going to let him escape now. The relationship is pretty toxic. I was disappointed that when Lala finally came back, the twins didn't unite more against their jerk husbands, so I didn't quite finish it. Trigger warnings: lying/manipulation, rape, sex trafficking.
Tougou-ka e Totsuida Hanashi
In a world where all children inherit powers by the age of 8, Fumi is an adopted child whose powers never manifested, marking her as a "cursed child." Her adoptive family abuses her until the wealthy and powerful Togo with the power of clairvoyance comes to request her as his wife. Though he seems kind at first, he quickly turns cold, but Fumi would rather stay with him than her nasty family, and he may have his good points. Not impressed with the lack of communication, but otherwise seems solid. Trigger warning: abuse
Ryu no Otto Boukoku no Kami
A dragon god demands that the prince in charge of the military be his consort in exchange for continuing to protect the land, then transforms the prince with his scale so they can live a long life. The prince doesn't understand the dragon's motives, while the dragon is excited to learn new things about humans. Trigger warnings: wartime violence, noncon.
Sweetie Agape
Luca is a priest who has had terrible luck ever since his parents died in a fire when he was a child. While heading home, he runs into an injured man named Bel and helps him, but when Bel wakes up he kisses Luca and grows wings! It turns out Bel is an angel who needs to feed on the bodily fluids of pure humans to maintain his power. Luca goes along with this and gets closer to Bel, but there's something Bel isn't telling Luca, and he starts to worry that the angel isn't what he seems. Interesting plot that felt a little rushed but was worth the read. Trigger warnings: attempted rape, death by fire, dubcon.
Gunjin Ryuu Propose 100 Nenmono no Vintage Sex
Shunna Iwai is an ordinary girl until one day the soldier Takeo Kurosawa (literally) appears in front of her. It turns out Takeo has gone forward in time 100 years from 1919, and with no one else to rely on, Shunna takes him in and lets him stay with her. But as the two fall in love, it becomes more complicated to decide where Takeo really belongs. No trigger warnings.
Todokanu Kimi he Koi no Uta Wo
Finn is a nobleman who feels isolated after his upbringing on the streets until one night his mirror magically connects to another mirror and he meets Magomed, a traveling circus worker. The two become close while talking every night for half the month, when enough moonlight connects their mirrors, but while Finn is delighted to have Mag as his first friend, Mag sees Finn in a slightly different light. But just when Finn is started to get used to the idea of Mag as more than a friend, the mirror is broken, leaving the two men to try to find each other across the world. Very cute and well done so far. Fun fact: Finn lives in Brazil! Trigger warning: child abuse (non parental).
Tamayura (yuki Ringo)
Historical childhood friends
Ou to Hiyaku
Ch.1 - Music of the Blue Sky - Aoi is a male prostitute working in a brothel who gets selected by the young nobleman Akeboshi. Akeboshi is known for causing trouble in the brothel before over a prostitute he fell in love with, but this time he just wants to listen to Aoi play music for him. As the two talk and he listens to Aoi's music, Aoi realizes he's fallen in love with Akeboshi, though Akeboshi's heart still belongs to another. Slightly bittersweet with a hopeful ending. I liked it. Trigger warning: sex work. I believe ch.2-3 are short oneshots about characters from another of the author's works. Ch.3 has an underage (child) prostitute, so be warned. Ch.4 - Raider Black - Matsuba was once a young lord, but his family fortune fell apart and his father died. In that moment, a former family servant, Suou, returned, and even though Suou stole from them when he left, Matsuba trusted him as a child and thought he returned to save him. But Suou returned for revenge on Matsuba's father who cheated, impregnated and abandoned his sister, and since Matsuba's father is dead, he takes it out on Matsuba instead by forcing him into prostitution and buying him every night. Not really my thing, but I do appreciate the complex emotions being depicted. Trigger warnings: sex trafficking, sex work, rape. - Wind Chime - a prostitute and a customer trade ghost stories, but the prostitute was a ghost all along! - The King and the Potion - A noble-hearted young king is introduced to the red light district and sees a boy selling himself for his first time. He buys the boy, Moegi, to save him, but the two are drugged and have a wild first night. After that, Moegi works at the palace and the two have a happy, chaste romance, until Moegi is convinced to leave by the king's enemies. The king then wastes away, and only Moegi's return can save him. This one was a bit fairytale-esque, but very cute and fun. Trigger warnings: sex work, attempted murder.
Kinai - Kemonohito Omegaverse