Assuming JNC is doing a 2026 contest soon, I would like to submit this year to the Ongoing Series category.

I've written 5 completely ready to go volumes and have a 6th close to 90% done, along with a detailed and completed series Bible.

I was hoping I could find some people to read and critique my first volume over the next month so I can have the strongest entry possible for whenever the submission portal opens up.

It's a multi-genre piece. The first volume explores how warlocks who have built a mundane life in a realistic setting to protect their family from a dangerous hidden realm learn to love, accept, and sometimes protect those within their community when they hide dangerous secrets and flaws of their own. How do their old ways begin to intersect with their cover life when ordinary life holds its own dangers? Its slice of life meets dark urban fantasy, held together by a family saga structure. I often describe what I'm going for as what happens when you drop a grimoire into Violet Evergarden, except your cast is something closer to A Silent Voice. Tonally the arcs range from Erased to Frieren to My Clueless First Friend in vol 1 — as the series open up it is a bit more like Frieren meets Fragrant Flower, but with a speculative framework that turns Earth as we know it into a type of Isekai.

Here is the basic synopsis:
The Genji family opens the series navigating a crisis in their community concerning their six-year-old son Jomei's newest friend, Soshi, that can only be resolved when the clandestine magical intervention staged by Jomei's parents, Chimon and Kumiko, rescues multiple people from an escalating cycle of domestic abuse. The presence of magic in this quiet, coastal Japanese town remains bubbling beneath the surface, a well-kept secret to all except the two of them — even unbeknownst to Jomei — until the story advances to Jomei's final year of middle school. What occurs then could either be described as an act of disobedience, or as destiny – depending on who you ask!

When the popular fourteen-year-old Jomei intervenes to defend transfer student Hibiki Kurosawa — a nonspeaking, neurodivergent boy whose intellect and depth of feeling most people never take the time to discover — from bullying, the two forge an unlikely friendship that changes both their lives. Together they stumble into a hidden occult archive within the Genji family library, and Jomei discovers that his family's quiet life was never the whole truth. His parents aren't ordinary people. They're warlocks in hiding.

What will happen when two teens suddenly become aware of magic existing within their world? And more importantly, who will be watching them as a result?

CONTENT WARNINGS: Domestic/Child abuse, Language, Graphic Violence (Rare), Occult

Anyone willing to help out? If so, are we able to exchange emails?

@Almond-Magnum The earliest I can spot mention of Adolphine having doubts about Sigiswald was after Eglantine's choice:

“If only things were so simple...” Adolphine said, her usual triumphant self now completely replaced with a dark and clouded expression. “Prince Sigiswald cares deeply for Lady Nahelache. He was bound to treat Lady Eglantine well no matter how little she meant to him, since she was absolutely necessary for his becoming king... but what about me?”

“Well, this is a political marriage. I cannot imagine royalty mistreating Drewanchel the Third,” I said. Lady Eglantine was on another level, but it was unthinkable that my older sister would be neglected. I told her that she was overthinking things.

“Yes, you are surely right. He will treat me as a normal fiancée from this point onward,” she said with a weak smile, and it was only then that I realized something—not once had my sister received any special treatment from her potential suitors. Both princes had sent Lady Eglantine gifts and honeyed proposals in the hope of winning her heart or the throne, but neither had done anything for Adolphine. She was being treated as though she were just any other noble.

As my sister was not yet officially engaged to either prince, it was not an absolute requirement that they greet her or send her gifts... but surely they could have shown her some consideration while she was stuck waiting for Lady Eglantine to make her decision.

“Everything will change for the better once you are formally engaged,” I said, putting aside the anger that was boiling up inside of me and instead attempting to cheer up my sister. She gave a half-hearted giggle and another weak smile, then let out a heavy sigh.

“I will surely be compared to Lady Eglantine from now on, no matter what I do. And not only that, but I will also have to stand above a former princess-turned-archduke candidate from Klassenberg the First—a girl who regularly came first-in-class. I never expected to become the next king’s first wife; this surprise is most unpleasant. I cannot help but feel that my future is bleak.”

But at that point, he wasn't coming across any worse than Anastasius (who also ignored Adolphine while Eglantine was in play), and she seemed more concerned about a lifetime of comparison to Eglantine than about Sigiswald himself.

It was the following years of low-effort engagement on his part that really soured her to him, with her opinion a couple of years later ending up as:

“My treatment as his fiancée has been far from ideal,” I said. “I doubt that will change when I become his wife. Do you really expect me to squeal with joy simply because I am marrying a prince? Just how witless do you think I am? From the bottom of my heart, I would welcome anyone to take my place.”

And naturally he would go on to live down to her expectations.

This (ep 16) is the first episode of volume 4. So we have 8ish episodes left to finish volumes 4 and 5. This is way too rushed.

@doceirias that's a great reminder that I need to keep in mind, thank you!

Volume 5 released on July 27, 2026

I think it will probably end on next volume.

Volume 5 Cover

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Volume 1 of the Manga Version is scheduled to be released on August 6, 2026.

Manga Volume 1 Cover

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Serialization of the manga version is now available on Corona Ex website. The first 4 chapters are currently available to read: https://to-corona-ex.com/comics/264581102223592

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@cassydd said in The Ryuo's Work Is Never Done! Volumes 1-3 Discussion!:

Great news! Can you say when volume 19 will begin translation?

If we get three books a month, then next January I think...

@rmkelly I've been watching the anime this season, and it's so good! Would love to read this

@qka_bee boosting this again lol.

The anime was great, and I would really love to read what happens next!

Only thing I worry about is if the anime makes licensing this series even more expensive or unprofitable

@Torka I really hope someone picks up the novel too, it looks really interesting.

@vilobion said in Frontier Lord Starts wit a Population of 0:

I don't recall Eldan being quite so... annoying... in the novels?

Agreed, he seems more immature in the anime.

Confusing. I generally gloss over looking at the location of the Calendar now because the white above the dark doesn't catch the eye as easy.

@GeorgeMTO said in Membership doubt:

If you were looking for the cheapest way to do so, perhaps look into whether your local library has access to any of the manga? Many libraries also have access to ebooks these days.

This. I have attempted to request LNs through my library before. Sometimes they can get the volume in if they don't already have a copy.

@hirei will there be a feature added to remove titles from “Continue Reading” if we drop a series?

The author has said he really wants to get these books published in English.

Kodansha has licensed the old manga and will begin reprinting it next year. This is a good time for somebody to think about translating Daichi-hen.