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J-Novel Club Adds 5 Light Novels, 2 Manga

J-Novel Club announced on Friday that it has licensed five light novel titles and two manga titles, including:

• The Apothecary Diaries by Natsu Hyuuga with illustrations by Touko Shino
• The Ideal Sponger Life by Tsunehiko Watanabe with illustrations by Jyuu Ayakura
• My Friend's Little Sister Has It In for Me! by Ghost Mikawa with illustrations by tomari
• Are You Okay With a Slightly Older Girlfriend? by Kota Nozomi with illustrations by Meruchi Nanase
• She's the Cutest… But We're Just Friends! by Akamitsu Awamura with illustrations by mmu
• Der Werwolf: The Annals of Veight ~Origins~ (manga) by Yuuchi Kosumi (original novel by Hyougetsu)
• Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! (manga) by Shimo Aono (original novel by Makishima Suzuki)

The Apothecary Diaries and The Ideal Sponger Life are debuting "immediately," and the two manga series will debut next week.

Title: The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto)
Author: Natsu Hyuuga with illustrations by Touko Shino
Summary: In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there.
Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That's her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao's façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor's favorite consort... so she can taste the lady's food for poison!

Square Enix Manga & Books is releasing a manga adaptation in English.

Title: The Ideal Sponger Life (Risō no Himo Seikatsu)
Author: Tsunehiko Watanabe with illustrations by Jyuu Ayakura
Summary: Yamai Zenjirou is your everyday office worker in modern Japan. One morning, he suddenly finds himself summoned to a tropical world where dinosaurs roam the land. He is told that this is the kingdom of Capua and the person who summoned him - its monarch, Queen Aura - wants him to marry her and leave his old life behind for a life of carefree extravagance as her prince consort. The reasons for her offer are many and varied, but she needs an heir, and she wants him to be the one to provide it!
If he accepts, he'll never have to work again, lazing around in luxury with no worries other than securing the kingdom its next monarch. Certainly, sleeping with the buxom beauty is far from a hardship, but is everything really as it seems? He'll also need to give up everything he knows on Earth. Is he ready to drop it all at a moment's notice for her sake? And how well will he be able to navigate the politics, people and culture of this new world if he does?

Seven Seas Entertainment is releasing a manga adaptation in English.

Title: My Friend's Little Sister Has It In for Me! (Tomodachi no Imōto ga Ore ni Dake Uzai)
Author: Ghost Mikawa with illustrations by tomari
Summary: If a girl teases you, that means she likes you!
Unfortunately, Akiteru knows from experience that isn't the case. Because every girl he interacts with shows him nothing but scorn, and he's not scored a single date from it! Luckily, he's more concerned with securing a spot for him and his game-development buddies at his uncle's business. But when his uncle throws him a condition that involves playing the part of his daughter's boyfriend, Akiteru has no choice but to take it.
What will his best friend's sister Iroha, who bullies him relentlessly, think of the news? Find out in My Friend's Little Sister Has It in for Me!

Title: Are You Okay With a Slightly Older Girlfriend? (Choppiri Toshiue Demo Kanojo ni Shitekuremasu ka?)
Author: Kota Nozomi with illustrations by Meruchi Nanase
Summary: First-year highschool student Momota Kaoru just saved a beautiful highschool girl, Orihara Hime, from a train molester. One thing leads to another, and they end up going on a date! They have a lot in common: they both love video games, they both jam to their favorite songs on mixtapes, they were even both born in the Year of the Snake.
Except... Orihara's first game console used cartridges... and her old mixtapes are all on MiniDisc... and, oh, her birthday is actually 12 years before Momota's!
When her secret comes out, she thinks it must all be over... but will Momota really let something like a little age gap get in the way of his love for Orihara? Find out if love really can transcend generations in this sugar-sweet romantic comedy!

Title: She's the Cutest... But We're Just Friends! (Ore no Onna Tomodachi ga Saikō ni Kawaii.)
Author: Akamitsu Awamura with Illustrations by mmu
Summary: Kai Nakamura has the average range of otaku hobbies for a high school boy, but the buddy he shares them with is far from ordinary... Kai's best friend in the whole world is Jun Miyakawa, his classmate known as a super hottie.
Though Kai and Jun just met when they enrolled in high school, they hit it off with passion for all the same hobbies! When they're together, the pair never have enough hours in the day. Kai and Jun can't get enough of each other's company as they chat about video games and manga or sing anime songs at karaoke.
Love is fleeting, but friendship is forever in this "just friends" rom-com filled with flirty fun!

Title: Der Werwolf: The Annals of Veight ~Origins~ (Jinrō e no Tensei, Maō no Fukukan: Hajimari no Shō)
Author: Yuuchi Kosumi (original novel by Hyougetsu)
Summary: Veight was reincarnated as a werewolf mage, and is now the Vice-Commander of the Demon Lord's third regiment. His task seemed simple: capture and hold a remote commercial city. But the tension caused by mankind and demonfolk coexisting is the source of endless conflict. As a former human himself, he'll need to leverage his ability to understand both sides in order to work with the human viceroy and maintain order!

J-Novel Club is also releasing the original light novel series.

Title: Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! (Nihon e Yōkoso Elf-san.)
Author: Shimo Aono (original novel by Makishima Suzuki)
Summary: Kazuhiro has one hobby, sleeping. His career and social life come second. Since his youth, he's spent his nights dreaming of adventures in a wondrous world. On an evening like any other, he heads out to explore an ancient ruin with an elf friend of his. Their investigations soon get put to an end when they are doused with a dragon's fiery breath. Waking up from his dream, he finds those dreams may not be as imaginary as he thought! Join Kazuhiro and his elf friend on new adventures, this time in Japan!

J-Novel Club is also releasing the original light novels in English.

Source: Press release