My Taboo Harem System

Denzel stared at Maria.

For several seconds, neither of them moved.

Maria stood near the center of her chamber, her back still partly turned toward him. Morning light slipped through the curtains and painted pale lines across the wooden floor. Dust drifted through the beams, rising and falling as if the room itself were breathing.

Denzel's mind was completely blank.

The dream was gone.

The strange worlds were gone.

The doors were gone.

The millions of eyes were gone.

The older version of himself was gone.

Yet somehow, this moment felt stranger than all of them.

Maria glanced over her shoulder.

"Why are you just standing there?"

Denzel blinked.

"I…"

He didn't know what to say.

Maria turned around fully. Her expression was slightly embarrassed, but concern remained in her eyes.

"You came here because I called you."

"I know."

"So why are you staring?"

"I don't know."

Maria frowned.

"You're acting strange."

Denzel rubbed the back of his neck.

"Maybe I didn't sleep properly."

"That much is obvious."

She walked toward him.

Denzel instinctively stepped backward.

Maria stopped.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You're really weird today."

Denzel looked around the room.

It was ordinary.

A wooden bed stood against the far wall. A small table held a clay cup and a half-burned candle. A wardrobe leaned slightly to one side. Near the window, a blue shawl had been folded over a chair.

Nothing about the room suggested anything strange.

Yet the feeling from his dream remained.

Like something was waiting.

Like the darkness had not truly released him.

Denzel looked at Maria again.

"Did you call me here just to talk?"

Maria hesitated.

"Yes."

"About?"

She looked away.

"Something important."

Denzel waited.

Maria remained silent.

He sighed.

"You're making this sound more serious than it is."

"It is serious."

"How serious?"

Maria looked back at him.

"Serious enough that I didn't want anyone else hearing."

Denzel's expression changed.

"What happened?"

Maria opened her mouth.

Before she could answer, a loud bell rang outside.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The sound rolled through the village, deep and metallic, shaking the window glass.

Denzel turned toward the window.

Maria frowned.

"That isn't the normal bell."

Another bell rang.

This time, the sound was followed by shouting.

Denzel walked toward the window.

"What is happening?"

Maria joined him.

Below them, people were gathering in the village square. Guards were moving between the houses, pushing villagers away from the road. Several people were pointing toward the castle, while others hurried toward the gates.

Denzel's expression tightened.

"Something happened."

Maria grabbed his sleeve.

"Stay here."

Denzel looked at her.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

She looked nervous.

That alone made him take the situation seriously.

"Maria."

"What?"

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head.

"I don't know."

A heavy knock struck the door.

Both of them froze.

Another knock followed, slower and harder.

Then a voice came from the corridor.

"Open the door."

Denzel recognized it.

The village chief.

Maria's face went pale.

"Why is he here?"

Denzel stepped toward the door.

"Wait."

Maria caught his arm.

"Don't."

Denzel looked at her.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

The chief knocked again.

"Maria. Open this door."

Denzel slowly reached for the handle.

Maria whispered.

"Denzel, don't."

He ignored her.

The door opened.

The village chief stood outside. Two guards stood behind him, their hands resting on the hilts of their short swords. Several villagers had gathered farther down the corridor, pretending not to listen while clearly hearing every word.

The chief's expression was cold.

"Denzel."

"Yes?"

"Step away from Maria."

Denzel frowned.

"Why?"

The chief's eyes moved between them.

"What were you doing?"

"Talking."

The chief's expression darkened.

"Talking?"

"Yes."

"Then why was the door closed?"

"Because she asked me to come here."

Maria immediately stepped forward.

"He's telling the truth."

The chief raised his hand.

"Silence."

Maria stopped.

Denzel's expression hardened.

"You don't need to speak to her like that."

The chief looked at him.

"And you don't need to be in this room."

Denzel glanced around.

The guards had moved closer.

"What exactly is going on?"

The chief took another step forward.

"You have violated a sacred rule."

Denzel stared at him.

"What rule?"

The chief's voice became louder.

"The taboo."

The word traveled through the corridor.

Several villagers gasped. Someone whispered a prayer. Another person backed away as if Denzel had suddenly become dangerous.

Denzel looked confused.

"What taboo?"

Maria stepped between them.

"He hasn't done anything."

The chief pointed at Denzel.

"You entered her private chamber."

"She invited me."

"You were alone together."

"She asked me to come."

"You approached her."

Denzel frowned.

"What's wrong with that?"

The chief's face hardened.

"You dare ask?"

Denzel looked around.

The villagers were staring at him.

Some looked frightened.

Others looked angry.

He suddenly realized something.

This wasn't an argument.

They had already decided what they believed.

Denzel took a step toward Maria.

"Let's leave."

Maria nodded.

But before they could move, the chief shouted.

"Seize him!"

The guards rushed forward.

Denzel reacted instinctively.

He pushed one guard away. The man crashed against the wall, but the second guard seized Denzel's arm.

Denzel twisted free.

"What the hell are you doing?"

The chief stepped backward.

"Do not resist!"

Denzel looked at Maria.

"Tell them!"

Maria's eyes filled with panic.

"He didn't do anything!"

Nobody listened.

Two more guards entered the room.

They grabbed Denzel from both sides.

Denzel struggled.

"Get off me!"

One guard struck him in the stomach.

Denzel doubled over.

Maria screamed.

"Stop!"

The guards forced Denzel to his knees.

The chief approached.

"You have committed a taboo against this village."

Denzel looked up.

"A taboo?"

"Yes."

"I didn't even know there was a rule."

"Ignorance does not absolve you."

Denzel laughed bitterly.

"This is insane."

The chief's expression didn't change.

"Chain him."

A guard brought forward an iron collar.

Denzel stared at it.

"Wait."

The collar was placed around his neck. A chain was attached, and the metal felt cold against his skin.

Maria rushed forward.

"Please!"

A guard blocked her.

"Don't touch him."

"He didn't do anything!"

The chief turned toward her.

"Your involvement will be considered later."

Maria's face went pale.

"No."

She looked at Denzel.

"Please…"

Denzel stared back at her.

For the first time that morning, he wasn't thinking about the dream.

He wasn't thinking about the strange worlds.

He wasn't thinking about the black circle.

He was thinking about how ridiculous everything had become.

He had survived monsters in worlds that shouldn't exist.

He had watched impossible cities collapse.

He had faced versions of himself from different points in time.

And somehow, this was what was going to end him.

A village misunderstanding.

Denzel looked at Maria.

"Don't cry."

Her eyes were already wet.

"I'll explain."

"You don't have to."

"I can make them understand."

Denzel shook his head.

"It's too late."

The chief raised his hand.

"Take him outside."

The guards dragged Denzel through the corridor.

Maria followed.

"Wait!"

The chief didn't stop.

They reached the village square.

Hundreds of people had gathered. The entire village seemed to have emptied into the open space. Children stood behind their parents, peering between their legs. Elderly villagers watched from doorways. The bell tower continued to sway above them.

Denzel looked around.

Some whispered.

Some pointed.

Others simply stared.

A guard pulled the chain attached to Denzel's collar.

He stumbled forward.

Maria ran after them.

"Please!"

The chief climbed onto the raised platform in the center of the square.

"This man has violated one of our oldest taboos."

The crowd murmured.

Denzel looked around.

Nobody knew him.

Nobody cared what he had actually done.

They only knew what they had been told.

The chief pointed toward the road leading outside the village.

"Take him beyond the gates."

Maria's face changed.

"No!"

She rushed toward the chief.

"He didn't do anything!"

Two guards stopped her.

Maria struggled against them.

"Please!"

Her voice broke.

"Please spare him!"

Denzel looked back.

"Maria!"

She looked at him.

Tears ran down her face.

"I'm sorry!"

Denzel shook his head.

"Don't be."

The guards began dragging him away.

His boots scraped against the dirt.

The chain around his neck rattled with every step.

Maria screamed his name.

"DENZEL!"

He looked back one last time.

She was still fighting against the guards.

Still begging.

Still crying.

Denzel smiled faintly.

Then the village gate opened.

The guards dragged him outside.

Beyond the walls stood dozens of villagers. Some carried stones. Others held them in their hands, waiting for the chief's signal.

Denzel stopped walking.

He looked at them.

Then at the village behind him.

Then at Maria.

She was still begging.

"Please don't kill him!"

The first stone struck the ground beside Denzel.

He looked down.

Another flew past his shoulder.

Denzel closed his eyes.

For one brief moment, he remembered the dream.

The endless darkness.

The millions of eyes.

The doors.

The older version of himself.

The voice.

Wake up.

Denzel opened his eyes.

He looked toward the sky.

Nothing.

Just blue.

A normal sky.

A normal world.

A normal morning.

Denzel laughed quietly.

"So this is how it ends."

Another stone flew.

Maria's voice echoed from behind the walls.

"PLEASE!"

Denzel looked back at her one final time.

Then the final stones came down.

Everywhere went blank

THE END