Chapter 27: Hug me

“Oh, no…!”

Sia desperately ran to the nearby statue and tried to grab my hand. But with her strength, it seemed impossible to resist the pressure of the hand.

“It’s too strong! It’s not working!”

The empty space in the fountain grew closer and closer, and a cold energy emanated from that spot.

Seeing that energy made goosebumps rise all over my body.

I was sure that if I was trapped in the empty space, it would be the end.

“Ugh… I can’t end it like this!”

I used all my remaining strength and ripped my clothes.

The sleeve tore, breaking the connection between me and the hand, and I rolled backward, falling to the edge of the fountain.

Splash!

I fell right into the water.

Cold water enveloped my body, and a dull sound rang in my ears.

I struggled in the water and pushed my face above the surface.

Fortunately, it wasn’t deep.

I grabbed the fountain wall and barely managed to stand up.

My clothes were wet and heavy, but I didn’t seem to be injured.

“Are you okay?!”

Sia leaned over the edge of the fountain and extended her hand. A worried look was all over her face.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

I gasped for air and grabbed her hand.

But something was strange.

The moment I grasped her hand, an unknown sensation permeated my hand.

“Hngh…?”

As soon as I grabbed her hand, a momentarily pleasant current spread from my fingertips.

That sensation grew stronger, spreading up my arm and throughout my body.

I was startled and tried to let go of her hand, but my body wouldn’t listen.

“Wh-what…?”

The sensation spreading from underwater didn’t stop at just my fingertips.

Every single water drop that touched my skin acted like tiny electrodes, making my whole body tingle.

“Ugh…”

I gasped and stared into the water.

A strange energy was emanating from there. The water looked clear, but it was definitely not normal water.

It was water with a strange property that stimulated the body, cold yet strangely warm.

“Oof, hnn…”

I gasped and grabbed the wall of the fountain.

Every drop of water running down my skin was making my body more sensitive.

“What’s wrong?”

Sia approached cautiously and asked.

I looked at her and said in a trembling voice.

“This water… I don’t know exactly, but it seems to amplify my senses. My whole body is too sensitive…”

“What?”

Sia stepped back, startled by my words.

“This water doesn’t seem to be just water. It’s like… something that stimulates all of a person’s senses and makes the body sensitive.”

Like an aphrodisiac.

I continued, muttering to myself as if.

At that moment, the trembling that started from my fingertips spread more intensely, engulfing my whole body.

Even though I had gotten out of the water, the energy still covered me.

“Ugh…, my body feels so strange.”

I cringed and muttered.

My body was sensitive as if my whole body was being gently caressed with a cotton swab, and my nerves were extremely sensitive.

Sia looked at me worriedly and asked.

“Are you really okay? Isn’t there a way to help?”

I shook my head and said, “I got out of the water, so I’ll be fine soon… probably.”

Sia narrowed her eyes at my words.

“That means it could get worse. We need to get out of here quickly.”

I slowly nodded.

In a state where I couldn’t forget the sensation in the water, staying here for a long time was definitely not a good thing.

Sia nodded at my words.
But when her hand inadvertently rested on my hand, I flinched and screamed.

“Kyaaa…!”

The moment her hand touched my skin again, an intense sensation like an electric current spread throughout my body.

The tingling sensation that started from my fingertips spread through my arm and to my whole body in an instant, and I instinctively cringed.

“Ah?!”

Sia was startled and quickly removed my hand.

She looked at me with a bewildered expression.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to… I just, as I always did, wanted to hold your hand.”

I gasped and looked down at my hand.

Even though she had removed her hand, that sensation still pressed on my nerves.

“It’s okay… It’s not your fault. It’s just… maybe because of this water, all my senses are too sensitive.”

I barely managed to speak, holding my trembling hand.

“So sensitive that, just your hand touching… well, it felt like electricity was flowing.”

“So, it’s better if I don’t touch you. Sorry… I feel like I made it worse for no reason.”

Sia shook her head and forced a smile.

“It’s okay.”

Even though I said it was okay, a strange fear and anxiety were growing inside me.

This sensation was too vivid and intense to be simply the effect of the water.

When I met Sia’s eyes again, I felt my body tremble with a strange anticipation, even though I feared her touch.

“Let’s get out of here quickly.”

I composed myself and said quietly.

Sia nodded and separated from my hand, but her cheeks were subtly flushed.

“There’s a peach scent…”

“Huh? Sia, what did you just say?”

“It’s nothing.”

I turned my head and tried not to make eye contact with Sia, but she also seemed to be avoiding it, turning her gaze elsewhere.

“Fortunately, the door seems to be open.”

Sia awkwardly broke the silence, pointing to a door a little distance from the fountain.

That door was different from the ones I had seen before.

There were no large and ornate decorations, but a small arched door frame with a candle dimly glowing welcomed us. Unfamiliar writing was engraved above the door.

“‘Love Village’?”

I carefully read the writing above the door.

Sia also came next to me, tilting her head and looking at the writing.

“Love Village? What is it, is this place some kind of theme park?”

Her voice was mixed with tension and bewilderment.

I took a deep breath and approached the door.

What appeared beyond the door looked like a small village.

Small houses made of wooden planks were built here and there, and on the narrow road, clothes hanging on a clothesline were swaying in the wind.

In the center of the village was a large pond, and a peaceful garden spread out around it.

On the surface, it looked like an ordinary village, but there was something unsettling about the atmosphere.

“It’s strangely quiet.”

Sia said, carefully observing her surroundings.

I wiped off the water and slowly stepped inside the door.

Sia also followed behind.

At the entrance to the village, a small wooden sign was erected.

“[Free Hug]?”

I read the phrase on the sign and tilted my head.

Sia also looked at the sign and said, “What, why is this here…?”

Before she could finish her sentence, we discovered something gathered below the sign.

They were small, bear-like creatures with translucent, jelly-like bodies.

They were smaller than me, but much larger than a typical gummy bear.

They had round, squishy bodies, and they seemed to flow like water as they moved slightly.

“What are those…?”

I muttered in a low voice, fixing my gaze on them.

The gummy bears were hugging each other tightly.

Their arms and bodies were softly intertwined, looking affectionate and cozy, and even warm.

A day in Love Village.

Fortunately, thanks to tearing my clothes, I was able to escape from the touch of that ‘hand’.

But there were more problems.

I fell into the fountain while escaping from the touch.

The moment the fountain water touched my body, all my senses changed sharply, as if exploding.

Cold and warmth permeated at the same time, and a sensation like an electric current spread over my skin.

When Sia grabbed my hand to help me, even that simple touch came to me with an intensity that seemed to pierce my nerves.

My body has become too sensitive.

It feels bad………….

So, after that subtle atmosphere, the next room.

There was a small village there.

The village was quiet. The name ‘Love Village’ seemed overly peaceful.

At the entrance to the village, a sign that read [Free Hug] was erected.

And below it, jelly-like creatures, gummy bears, were there.

They were hugging each other tightly.

They seem like cute kids, but I’m going to have to be nervous because I don’t know what kind of threat they’ll turn into.

Monster File: [Hug Me]

Appearance: Gummy bears with soft and translucent bodies.

They have a strong, soft, and squishy feel, and the colors are pastel tones, various.

The size is slightly smaller than a person, but it has quite a bit of bulk.

Characteristics: They are hugging each other.

The appearance looks cute and friendly, but for now, I’ll have to look into the details more.

Danger: I don’t know, but judging by the fact that there are quite a few of them, it seems like it would be difficult to escape if they approached as a group.

Weakness: They seem weak to heat, maybe they’ll melt if they touch a hot temperature.

They also seem vulnerable to external impact, they might scatter if attacked with a hard object.