The Octopus at My House Is So Adorable

This novel will enter VIP serialization on Wednesday, December 30. It will be retroactively paywalled, with chapters 27 to 29 included. Readers who have already read them, please don't buy them again. There will be a 10,000-word update when it enters VIP. Thank you for your support so far, and I hope you'll continue to support me.

An octopus with a battered, pancake-flat body washed up on the beach.

A human picked him up, and he was passed from person to person until, for no apparent reason, he turned into a human himself. At last, he had the chance to return to the sea.

Little Octopus: "Hello, I'd like to know how much you spent on me over the past two months... Twenty-five million? How much is that?"

"Eight million four hundred thousand takoyaki."

"...Sorry, how many did you say?"

"Eight million four hundred thousand takoyaki."

The takoyaki in Little Octopus's hand fell to the ground.

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"Sir, I'm done. Thank you so much for giving me this job. Is there anything else I can... Um, sir?"

"Shh."

Little Octopus stared blankly as the man built a house of cards using a bank card in one hand.

When he was finished, his long fingers tapped the table. The card tower didn't budge at all, radiating the solid stability of money.

The creditor asked, "Is working tiring?"

Little Octopus answered with lingering fear, "Yes."

"Is it hard to make money?"

Overcome with sadness, Little Octopus said, "Yes."

The creditor smiled. "Would you like an easier way to pay off your debt?"

"No."

"You don't?"

"I can pay it off by working hard and doing things properly." Little Octopus said, "I won't disturb you any longer. Just let me know if you need anything."

As he watched Little Octopus disappear through the door, the creditor tossed his script aside in frustration for the umpteenth time and picked up his communicator. "Plan D failed. Prepare plans E, F, and G. I'm going to win him over before he pays off his debt. We'll hold a strategy meeting tonight. No absences."

Reader's guide:

1. A coming-of-age story. An octopus boy gradually grows from an animal into a human.

2. A cozy everyday-life story about an octopus living earnestly in human society and working hard to pay off his debt, with plot developments woven into daily life. It really is very slice-of-life.

3. A slow-burn, long-form story with an overall light tone, sweet romance, and everyone doting on the protagonist. But the protagonist still goes through hardship and setbacks. It really is very slow-burn.

4. One-on-one romance, both leads' first relationships, happy ending. The gong appears in Chapter 8.

5. Updates whenever inspiration strikes. Updates whenever inspiration strikes. Updates whenever inspiration strikes. The schedule is irregular, irregular, irregular.

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That's the end of the synopsis! Here are some upcoming stories!

I'll start whichever of these three gets the most favorites.

Sigh, three synopses, and they're all so long... But I'm just long-winded like this, so I guess I'll accept my fate.

[The Natural Flirt Swordsman Is a Heartthrob, But He's Totally Oblivious]

At the debate at the Spirit Platform, Huan Lidong became famous throughout the world overnight.

He went down the mountain to travel. He drew his sword, and one strike shattered a thousand techniques; he sheathed his sword, smiled, and settled old grudges. Then he left without a trace, hiding his achievements and fame.

A spirited young man, unmatched beneath the heavens.

People said that if you wanted to cultivate the sword, you should join the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, and if you wanted to marry, you should marry Huan Lidong.

Huan Lidong finished his work and went home, ready to spend another three hundred years as a homebody with his master, eating the grapes his master peeled for him while cheerfully counting the demons he'd slain on his trip.

His junior disciple came rushing over. "Senior Brother! Something terrible has happened!"

Huan Lidong ate a grape. "?"

His junior disciple said, "The Blissful Palace has come to ask for your hand! The palace master says you took his body and have to take responsibility!"

Huan Lidong froze. "I never did that."

His junior disciple continued, "The Medicine King Valley sent ten miles of wedding gifts. The young valley master says you broke his sword, and you promised to repay him with your body..."

Huan Lidong was bewildered. "I never promised that."

His junior disciple said, "The Wonderful Sound Sect, the Profound Clarity Temple, the Outer Demon Realm... They've nearly filled the foot of the mountain!"

Huan Lidong was surprised. "I'm on good terms with them. Why are they teasing me like this?"

His master expressionlessly snapped his silver chopsticks.

"Master?" His only disciple took his wrist in concern. "Don't hurt your hand."

His master's voice was complicated. "Do you really not understand?"

Huan Lidong asked, "Understand what?"

His master stared at his utterly oblivious disciple and sighed in distress.

Reader's guide:

1. As the title says, a swordsman becomes a heartthrob because he's such a natural flirt, but is completely oblivious to it.

2. The protagonist follows the righteous path and draws his sword to help others. From another perspective, he could be seen as a busybody, so readers who dislike protagonists rescuing people should be cautious before starting.

3. One-on-one romance. The gong is split into several fragments, but they'll all become one person in the end.

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[The Sweet-Talking Academy]

A magical academy bringing together all sorts of wonderful species from around the world! From gods, angels, and elves to demons, evil spirits, and vengeful ghosts, it has absolutely everything, offering all students a warm, open, inclusive, and wonderful home. Come join us! XOXO!

That's what the advertisement says.

But the truth is...

As the academy's only human, a weakling, a loser, and a walking piece of meat, you stand there sweating under your classmates' hungry, covetous, hostile, and indifferent gazes.

"He smells so delicious!"

You hear them whispering.

"Pluck him, skin him, debone him, and make soup!"

Your pupils dilate in shock. Your legs tremble as you open the skill panel and look at your only hope of survival...

[Secret Technique: Sweet Talk Lv. 0]

...That's my only skill!?

Crap.

Reader's guide:

1. As the synopsis says, this is in first person. The protagonist is a hard-working, wisecracking type. You poor thing.

2. Everyone is crazy. It may include unconventional love-hate relationships (?), coercive romance (??), second-chance romance (???)... and other weird elements. In short, it's a very strange story.

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[Professional Mom]

Chang Le had just been fired by his boss and was wandering the street in a daze when someone suddenly threw their arms around him.

A dapper, impeccably dressed man in a custom suit, with a single cuff link worth more than Chang Le's entire annual salary, held him tightly around the waist. The man was a towering six-foot-two, yet somehow bent himself into the posture of someone barely five-foot-six, rubbing his face against Chang Le's as he called out with heartfelt affection:

"Mommy."

Chang Le: "..."

Chang Le: "What did you just call me!?"

The giant baby came home with him, stubbornly following him and looking at him like a deadbeat who'd abandoned his family.

He wanted to be held, kissed, and rocked to sleep.

What kind of human misery was this?

An assistant rushed over, full of apologies. "Hello, the person you found is our CEO. Our company would be delighted to hire you as our CEO's..."

[Stand-in Mommy].

Chang Le: "Friend, do I look like mom material to you? No, "

The assistant opened the contract.

Chang Le's eyes skimmed over it and stuck fast on the row of zeroes.

", There's no need to wonder! I'm definitely the best choice!"

He hadn't wanted to be a mom in the first place.

...But they were offering too much.

Reader's guide:

1. Everyday life raising a child, starring a young man who's never dated. A sweet, everyday-life story. It really is very slice-of-life.

2. A macho man acting cute. The author's idea of adorable is unusual, really unusual. Don't force yourself to read it. If this isn't your thing, stay away, stay away, stay away.

3. One-on-one romance, happy ending.

Theme: Tomorrow will definitely be better.