BL Library - Arranged Marriage

Manga Review | The Lord’s Bride by Pyoco Asahina

Title: The Lord's Bride

Author(s): Pyoco Asahina

Artist(s): Pyoco Asahina

Shion is part of a powerful family, but as a branching cadet family with no blood ties to the main family, he gets all the ire from all the other branches, but without the power the main family has. The main reason for all of the ire? It's due to a long-held tradition between his bloodline and the head of the main family. Their ancestors were once in love but could not be together due to their differing classes. Unwilling to be without each other, the ancestors performed a bonding ceremony, rebelling against their families and solidifying their love for one another.

Now that Ao, Shion's former childhood friend, has obtained the role of head of the main family, he fully intends to carry on the tradition of binding their two families together through this bonding ceremony. Unfortunately, this needless tradition has caused immense fury amongst all of the other family members, all of it directed toward Shion, who doesn't have the power Ao does to defend himself. Shion never wanted to go along with this stupid tradition and, as such, fully intends to escape as soon as he gets the chance. Ao, though, has no intention of letting Shion go.

On the surface, it may seem that Ao is just going along with all of this for the sake of tradition, but there are much deeper reasons that even Shion can't fathom.

Title: Married to the Dragon God

Author(s): Shogo Ikegami

Artist(s): Shogo Ikegami

Tsuwabuki, the illegitimate child of the head of the wolf family to a lion-dog mistress mother, is a lion-dog. His life as a young child starts out well enough with the protection of his mother, but when she dies, his worth to the family severely declines. Though he's related to the legitimate children of the family head, he is treated just like any other servant, except by his half-sister, who bullies him incessantly just because she can. Tsuwabuki does his best to ignore her taunts, serving the wolf family as best he can while honoring the god of the mountain they live on, just as his mother taught him when he was a small child. He's perfectly content with his life, though he secretly longs for a bit more freedom and the affection he lost when his mother passed.

The members of the wolf family are considered the divine messengers of god, so it only makes sense that they are called upon to offer a bride to the god in order to heal him of his impurities. The god specifically requests the youngest child, who happens to be Tsuwabuki's cruel older sister. She doesn't want to marry the god and is disgusted by the idea of having to cleanse the impure god, as it requires having sex. Instead, she demands that they offer Tsuwabuki, as he is also a child of the wolf family. Without a word, Tsuwabuki accepts his new role.

After being taken underwater, a gateway to where the mountain god Shuro resides, Tsuwabuki is married and bedded. Though Tsuwabuki doesn't feel worthy of being Shuro's bride, Shuro assures him that no one else could be worthy enough to be by his side. Still, Tsuwabuki is sure that there is a better bride for Shuro. As it happens, his elder sister is sacrificed to marry Shuro after the wolf family is destroyed. Tsuwabuki is sure his sister would be better for Shuro, but deep inside, Tsuwabuki loves Shuro and wants him all to himself.

Does Shuro really need Tsuwabuki? And even if he doesn't, can Tsuwabuki let Shuro go?

Title:

Author(s): Tsuta Suzuki

Artist(s): Tsuta Suzuki

Aki's family is cursed, specifically on his mother's side. Unfortunately, the curse isn't limited to his mother's side. His father, who married in, suffered from the same affliction and ended up with the same fate as Aki's mother and many other family members over the years: death. The only one left is Aki's grandfather, who is frail and sick, just like all of his family members who passed before him. In his final moments, Aki's grandfather tells Aki about someone who can help him survive the curse but doesn't provide much more information before he passes.

On his own, Aki is doing his best to get through life but grows frail as he is struck with an incurable disease he attributes to the curse. After passing out and being unable to return to work, Aki is desperate to keep himself alive and beat the curse. As he is on the cusp of succumbing to the curse, he follows his grandfather's advice and finds a bone hidden away. Disheartened by the useless discovery, Aki is ready to accept his fate when he gets blood on the bone, causing it to grow and expand with more bones, flesh, muscles, and skin until it takes the form of a half-man, half-god.

As it turns out, Aki's family acquired a guardian deity. The reason Aki's grandfather was able to live to old age is that this guardian deity helped consume the curse, prolonging his life. Aki can hardly believe it until the deity reaches into his body and pulls out a part of the curse, providing instant relief. Unfortunately, the best way for this deity to find the curse is to be intimate with the person. Now that Aki has completed the contract by giving the deity a name, Setsu, he has to suffer through the uncomfortable touch to keep himself alive. Even as he continues to claim he dislikes it all, he finds himself looking forward to the pleasure he can receive from Setsu. Once Setsu isn't needed anymore, he'll turn back into bone. Once the curse is cured, can Aki return to a life without Setsu?

Title: Having My Favorite in the Middle of the Night

Author(s): Tsutako Tsurusawa

Artist(s): Tsutako Tsurusawa

Grim is a radio host. He spends his evenings reading letters over the airwaves, answering questions, and sharing stories of his own life. He's perfectly content with the easy-going lifestyle he's cultivated for himself. However, his simple life gets a little bit more hectic after being invited to a party with all manner of entertainers, including models, actors, and the like. Grim is already looking for his escape when he meets renowned star Masachika.

As it turns out, Masachika is a massive fan of Grim's radio show. Anyone would be happy to hear that, including Grim, but Masachika seems to be more interested in Grim than his radio show. While Grim is flattered, he's not interested in anything with a young man like Masachika. He's all too happy to escape back to his quiet life, but Masachika is much more tenacious than Grim gave him credit for. Can Grim keep his distance, or will Masachika lure him into an inescapable trap?

Title: Satan's Bride

Author(s): Huyusora

Artist(s): Huyusora

Rupia is the only daughter of one of three major noble families in the empire. As the only daughter, Rupia is lovingly doted on by not only her parents but also her brothers. The only downside is that she has yet to debut into society, even in adulthood, simply because her family is overprotective. Unfortunately, though, her family cannot protect her from everything.

One day, the demon oracle Cleora demands that the underworld takes in 500 human women as their brides, starting from the ruler down the long line of succession of the demon throne. When the decree is sent to the royal family, they put out a royal decree to all noble families to give up one of their daughters for this noble task. That, unfortunately, includes Rupia. Her family, of course, detests this command but is unable to fight against it due to their standing in the empire, so Rupia, along with 499 other human women, is transported to the underworld.

Once there, the women are met by demon maids, butlers, and even the demon king himself, Edith. Almost none of the women can communicate with demons except for Rupia and three other women, as they have learned some of the ancient language, which is one of the few languages humans and demons share. As a result, Rupia and those three other women are chosen for the king, and the three demons next in succession for the throne.

By random draw, the women are doled out to their respective partners, and by pure luck, Rupia is chosen by the king of the underworld, Edith. However, Edith is just as displeased with this situation as Rupia. As it turns out, he didn't want the human women at all. Even so, Rupia and Edith have no choice but to be together. As the new queen of the underworld, how will Rupia manage her new life in this strange place, and will she be able to thaw the icy Edith?

Title: This Villainess Wants a Divorce!

Author(s): AhBin

Artist(s): AhBin

This is a good old reincarnation story. A young Korean woman is reincarnated into a novel, and the person she has taken over happens to be the villainess of the story, Carnelia Easter. She just so happens to reincarnate right after her marriage to the crown prince, Caesar. If the original novel were to play out as it should, she would marry the male lead Caesar under the direction of the empress in an attempt to weaken Caesar's claim to the throne in favor of her own son. Caesar would eventually go off to war, return a hero, proving that he is worthy of the throne, and fall in love with the female lead Gracie Lancaster, who Carnelia tries to get rid of only to cause her own execution, resulting in Caesar being free to marry Gracie and to take over as emperor.

Not willing to set herself up to die this time around, she makes a concerted effort to help Caesar thwart his stepmother's plans as well as grow closer to Caesar. She does her best to ensure Caesar still achieves all of his goals while she cheers him on from the side in hopes he will grant her an amicable divorce so she can live out the remainder of her days in peace. Unfortunately, not everything goes to plan as Gracie and Caesar don't seem interested in each other, and Carnelia herself begins to fall in love with the prince instead. As a result, the story starts to change. Will Carnelia be able to keep herself alive in this unpredictable story, or is she destined to die no matter what?

Arranged Marriage

Manga Review | A Strange & Mystifying Story by Tsuta Suzuki

Manga Review | Having My Favorite in the Middle of the Night by Tsutako Tsurusawa

Manhwa Review | Satan’s Bride by Huyusora

Manhwa Review | This Villainess Wants a Divorce! by AhBin

Tags