Forbidden Contact
I threw on some clothes haphazardly.
The fabric against my skin was softer than I expected.
“Oh…”
I tugged at the sleeve once and rolled my shoulders lightly.
It wasn’t a perfect fit, but it wasn’t bad for moving around.
“Pretty comfortable.”
The morning sunlight poured down over the city, making the blue buildings shimmer with a gentle glow.
“There’s a sun, and the weather feels similar too.”
I tilted my head back and stared at the sky again.
“This is weird…”
“Everything’s so alike…”
I still couldn’t wrap my head around it.
Just what the hell was going on…?
That was when the door opened and Leona stepped into view.
Her armor had been freshly maintained, and her hair was slightly damp.
Her face showed she hadn’t slept all night, but her expression was composed.
She must have heard me, because the faintest smile brushed across her lips.
“You are correct.”
She entered the room and walked toward the window.
“There are things that remain unchanged.”
After gazing outside for a moment, she continued.
“But compared to the world you came from…”
“This morning may carry an entirely different meaning.”
She turned to look at me again.
“We reviewed the records from last night…”
“Her Majesty the Queen and the scholars of the academy examined them together.”
She took a steadying breath, and her expression grew slightly tense.
“We have confirmed something.”
“A discrepancy that does not align with any recorded history.”
“What is it?”
At my question, she carefully chose her words before speaking.
“The oldest records state…”
“That both men and women once existed together in Elcia.”
Leona’s explanation continued.
“They lived together. They fought together.”
Her hand rose to rest over the emblem on her chest.
Aegis.
The symbol of the 1st Legion.
It was a familiar gesture.
“However.”
Her voice dropped slightly.
“Approximately five hundred years ago…”
“A massive mana anomaly occurred.”
“The fabric of reality grew unstable.”
Leona paused for a moment.
“And after that, all men vanished.”
The room fell silent.
Leona took one step closer to me.
“And now… you have appeared.”
Our eyes met.
“A being from five hundred years ago.”
I let out a long sigh.
“Even with everything I know, I can’t explain this.”
Leona nodded.
“Neither can we.”
After a brief hesitation, she reached out and gently took hold of my arm.
Even through the clothes, I could feel her warmth.
“Your existence is forcing us to reexamine Elcia’s entire history and beliefs.”
Her grip tightened slightly on my arm before she released it.
Her hand naturally drifted down toward the hilt of her sword.
“But questions are not the same as threats.”
Her eyes hardened once more.
“They are the beginning of understanding.”
A short silence followed.
“We must uncover the truth.”
“For the sake of Elcia.”
Then she added,
“And for your sake as well.”
I shrugged lightly.
“Well, let’s not overcomplicate things.”
“It’s not like there’s anything I can do about it anyway.”
I glanced out the window again.
“Whatever happens, happens.”
“Fuck.”
Leona’s expression softened for a brief moment, and a tiny laugh escaped her.
“That attitude of yours isn’t bad at all.”
She gave a small nod.
“It’s far better than becoming overly anxious in this situation.”
She studied me for a moment.
“You’re calmer than I expected.”
Then she composed herself again.
“We will proceed with the verification.”
“A mana reaction test must be performed.”
Leona turned and headed for the door.
“Follow me.”
We moved down the corridor.
The interior of the palace was quiet.
Blue stone walls.
High ceilings.
The sound of our footsteps echoed endlessly.
After passing several doors, we finally stopped before a large round door. It opened.
Inside was a vast circular chamber.
In the center floated a crystal orb roughly the height of a person.
A soft light pulsed within it, brightening and dimming like breathing.
Several magic scholars stood around it.
Different symbols were embroidered on their robes, and they held recording tablets and magical tools in their hands.
From among them, one person stepped forward. The others naturally took a step back.
Calm eyes. Long purple hair.
It was the high-ranking researcher, Elara.
She slowly examined me with eyes full of curiosity and analytical intent.
“…An external entity.”
She murmured softly.
“…How fascinating.”
Then—
Creak—
The door behind us opened.
All the scholars immediately straightened and turned their heads in one direction.
It was Queen Seraphina.
The silver decorations on her robes caught the light and sparkled quietly.
With each step she took, the atmosphere in the chamber grew heavier.
All eyes converged on her.
The inspection was about to begin.
Elara stepped forward once more.
“…Please move to the center.”
She gestured toward the crystal orb.
“…We will begin the examination.”
"Mana reaction, open."
⟨ Mana Resonance Scan ⟩
Whoa… fuck…
I’m actually nervous…
When I glanced at Leona, she gave me a small nod.
It’ll probably be nothing.
My steps toward the center stopped directly beneath the crystal orb.
Up close, it was bigger than I thought.
Elara’s voice rang out.
“…Please remain still.”
A brief silence fell before Elara began chanting.
The crystal orb suddenly glowed, and a gentle light slowly spread outward.
The light descended like mist and touched my shoulders.
What the…?
The light began to flow along my body.
It traveled down my arms, across my chest, around my waist, and then seeped into me, enveloping my entire form.
Holy shit, what is this?
Something… was passing through me?
It felt like a caress across my skin.
No—it was more like something stroking the inside of my skin.
Zap.
A sensation like it was brushing against every single nerve sent thin electric currents racing through me.
I drew in a small breath.
This…
Was strange.
Unfamiliar.
Bizarre.
And somehow… refreshing.
The light rose all the way to my head, paused for a moment, then the crystal’s glow gradually faded and disappeared.
Elara spoke.
“…Examination complete.”
I moved my arm once. Nothing felt wrong.
I tilted my head.
“That was a fascinating sensation.”
Queen Seraphina’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. A spark of interest gleamed in the gaze directed at me.
She exchanged a brief look with a nearby scholar, then walked toward me as if confirming something.
“You said you felt something.”
“Tell me exactly what kind of sensation it was.”
Leona unconsciously placed her hand on her sword and took a step closer.
It was a protective stance toward the Queen.
The scholars around us were rapidly continuing their records.
The scratching of pens mixed with low murmurs.
I thought for a moment.
“It’s a little hard to explain.”
“It didn’t feel like something touching me from the outside…”
I recalled the feeling and chose my words carefully.
“It felt more like something brushing past me from the inside.”
I took a short breath and continued.
“And then… there was a tingling sensation.”
Upon hearing that, the Queen leaned her body slightly forward.
Her eyes, shining like red sapphires, stared deeply into me.
She brought her fingers together, rested them against her chin, and slowly tapped.
“A sensation…”
“And the subsequent stimulus response.”
A brief silence hung in the air as her eyes grew subtly deeper.
“How interesting.”
Her voice was very low.
“There has never been a recorded case of an external being perceiving mana with their body.”
Huh?
The atmosphere in the hall shifted slightly.
Leona’s shoulders stiffened, and her grip on the sword hilt tightened.
When her eyes met the Queen’s, Leona gave the tiniest shake of her head.
A warning to be careful.
At that moment, Elara stepped forward once again.
“Your Majesty.”
The magical patterns at the hem of her robe shimmered in the light.
The eyes of the surrounding scholars naturally turned toward her.
Her voice was suppressing excitement, yet it trembled faintly.
“…Please forgive my presumption, but…”
She took a breath and continued.
“…The fact that this individual could sense mana…”
“…suggests a powerful connection has formed between our world and his existence.”
It was her characteristic way of pausing slightly before each phrase.
“…Perhaps it indicates a shared flow…”
“…or even a fated connection.”
The Queen’s eyes deepened further.
She took one step closer and, without hesitation, raised her hand.
It was so pale it was almost white.
Her long, slender fingers stopped just above my shoulder.
“Do not move.”
Her low voice commanded as her fingertips carefully made contact with my arm.
Her pale hand was not cold—it was warm.
Seraphina narrowed her eyes, concentrating, and a very faint light bloomed from her fingertips.
Mana.
She was examining the reaction herself.
The entire hall fell silent.
While the scholars and Leona held their breath and watched without moving, I looked down at her hand.
Wow…
Her hand is insanely beautiful.
Her skin practically glows.
At this level…
Wouldn’t it be fine to hold it once?
I pondered for a second.
Yeah…
In times like this…
I made up my mind.
Fuck it.
Let’s do it.
I looked at the Queen and spoke.
“In the world I came from, holding someone’s hand like this…”
“Is a custom used to offer comfort or calm their mind.”
Then I carefully took her hand in mine.
Holy fuck. It’s ridiculously soft.
For a moment, time seemed to stop. The air in the room froze instantly.
Seraphina’s eyes widened dramatically. Her hand stiffened and stopped moving.
I heard someone sharply inhale.
Leona gripped her sword hilt so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“Jun…”
Her voice was a clear warning.
Ah… am I fucked?
But Seraphina did not pull her hand away.
Instead, she slowly looked down at our joined hands.
When she looked back at me, her gaze had completely changed.
Surprise, wariness, and an emotion I couldn’t quite identify swirled together in her eyes.
“Contact…”
The Queen spoke in a low, almost murmuring voice.
“Is this intentional physical contact?”
I gave a small shrug.
“Where I’m from…”
“It’s an action meant to comfort or soothe someone.”
A short silence fell. The sound of frantic recording came from the scholars’ direction.
Leona took another step forward. She looked ready to draw her sword at any second.
“Your Majesty…”
Her voice sought permission.
Seraphina raised her hand slightly to stop her.
Phew… I’m alive…
Then, very slowly, she gently grasped my hand in return.
It wasn’t a strong grip, but one of careful confirmation.
For a brief moment, I felt a faint tremor in her hand.
“It’s warm…”
She whispered softly before releasing my hand.
Only then did the frozen air in the room begin to move again.
Leona stood with a rigid expression.
Elara stared down at her recording tablet with an expression of utter disbelief.
Seraphina straightened her posture.
Her voice remained calm, but it had grown slightly lower.
“Record this.”
“The otherworlder possesses a culture in which emotions are conveyed through physical contact.”
Then her gaze returned to me.
This time, it was different from before.
Beneath the wariness, clear interest was now mixed in.
I felt a little awkward and lowered my head.
“It seems different from the customs here.”
“In Elcia, intentional physical contact is almost nonexistent.”
A tense silence spread among the scholars.
Seraphina continued.
“Especially the concept of contact used to convey emotion—there is no record of such a thing.”
Her gaze returned to me once more.
This time it wasn’t simple caution.
It was the eyes of an observer. Of an analyst.
“But in your world…”
She paused briefly before continuing.
“It appears such behavior is commonplace.”
I nodded.
“Yes. When comforting someone…”
“Or reassuring them.”
Seraphina’s eyes narrowed just a fraction.
“Fascinating.”
At that moment, Leona stepped forward again. The clink of her armor echoed.
“Your Majesty.”
Her eyes flicked briefly toward the Queen.
“It would be best to conclude today’s session here.”
On the scholars’ side, records and whispers were already mixing chaotically.
Seraphina observed them for a moment, then slowly nodded.
“Very well.”
She looked at me again.
“Today has been sufficient.”
