The ogre race is characterized by possessing one to three horns on their heads and being, in general, a species of colossal stature.
Although they do not reach the proportions of the giants said to dwell across the sea to the far west, among the northwestern plains including Trot Celesta, no other race can boast comparable strength—Trot Celesta included. Their innate massive frames and immense power guarantee a combat capability that treats half-hearted weaponry as nonexistent concerns. According to the Celesta military’s official tactical benchmarks, if a fully equipped standard human male and a lightly armored dwarf soldier are both rated as “1,” then an unarmed ogre male corresponds to 2.5. In other words, no matter how heavily armored regular human soldiers become, it is tactically prohibited to challenge a naked ogre with fewer than two men. If properly equipped, however, they immediately jump to a force evaluation rating of 5—a single ogre equals an entire charge cavalry rider. The ogres’ boisterous battlefield maneuvers make them the highlights of any engagement. Thus, while it is understandable that how rare an Ace Knight is—who is demanded to match or exceed even five regular ogre soldiers in ability alone—can be inferred without calculation, the fact remains: such figures are exceptionally scarce.
To put aside distractions for a moment…
It is universally acknowledged, even among the ogres themselves, that an ogre’s colossal frame and sometimes bestial appearance tend to appear grotesque in human eyes. Of course, ogres do not consider humans beautiful either. In their own words, human women are “too thin and too weak, making them anxiety-inducing,” and while they might be cute, they cannot inspire lustful desire; one can only hold affection for them like livestock. Naturally, as with any race, the ogre race possesses its own aesthetic standards—a balance in sexual sensibilities of their own. Female ogres may not be as muscular as males, but it cannot be denied that they are tall. As a racial trait, their genitalia possess exceptional flexibility, and their vaginal canals have evolved to withstand housing an ogre penis averaging nearly 50 centimeters in size—a resilient physique capable of accommodating such a member by instinctively shifting internal organ positions as needed. Furthermore, female ogres are generally energetic. Depending on the region, some communities even maintain matriarchal systems with polyandry remaining common. Tall, spirited, and strong women who can support men are considered the ideal “good woman” in ogre culture—the exact opposite of the exemplary ladies upheld by current human society. Consequently, even though interbreeding between races is legally recognized in Celesta, marriages between ogres and humans rarely succeed. Even when living together, they perceive each other not like humans and elves, but as something close to a completely distinct “alien species.”
Amidst this, there exists an ogre youth who has overcome numerous hurdles to end up with a human lover. Arnie Boyd. He is a rookie member of the Crossbow Corps stationed near Basson, a trading city in northern Celesta, serving within the Northern Legion under his superior, Squad Leader Kelly Isaac. His rank is Private Second Class. This is the story of such a miraculous couple. Well, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit. It isn’t quite a miracle. But still, it’s something truly remarkable.
◇◇◇
In Basson, shared horse carriages roam freely through the town districts.
They do not go fast; instead, they stop frequently to let passengers board or disembark, charging low fares and even offering some flexibility with payment. Essentially, it’s a public works project—a leisurely stroll for horses that have stepped back from traditional riding duties.
Sylvia MacLean boarded one of such shared carriages on that day, instructing the driver to take her to the grand arena on the opposite side of town.
A magic show was scheduled at the arena that very day.
The “magic” referred to here does not mean sleight-of-hand illusions, but actual magic. Researchers from the Department of Magical Studies at the Capital University travel around all of Celesta once a year, performing visually entertaining magical tricks funded by their research grants.
That annual magic show had become Sylvia’s greatest joy of the year.
”…♪”
“My lady, you seem to be in high spirits.”
Sylvia responded with a broad smile at the driver’s elderly man’s words.
“Yes! I look forward to the magic show every year!”
“Oh right, is that around this time? Well then, since I’m dropping you off anyway, might as well check it out too.”
“If you don’t go, you’ll be missing out, old man!”
“Hahahaha, well, as long as no other passengers want to ride to the arena…”
Clomp clomp, clip clop.
The carriage leisurely made its way toward the arena.
That day, Arnie was on duty for supplies. He arrived at Basson together with his superior, Squad Leader Kelly Isaac, pulling a cart side by side with only two of them. “Why are we on supply duty?” “We should make humans do this instead.” These are the exact complaints everyone makes when assigned to supply duties. But there were reasons why the two of them were whining in particular.
Arnie (a Plain Ogre, 277 cm) and Kelly (a bull ogre, 310 cm) simply won’t fit in the carriage.
Well, troop transport carriages are built large enough for ogres, so they physically can ride, but they can’t sit up in the driver’s seat.
So when it’s their turn on duty, they don’t use a carriage; instead, they’re forced to pull a handcart themselves. Even though these oges pride themselves on their strength, there’s something deeply unappealing about having a horse do the work while they stand around watching.
“Honestly, Basson’s general store has a ceiling so low it’s almost unbearable.”
“For a section leader like you, you’re basically crawling on all fours anyway.”
“You didn’t know this before you started coming here, but I once had to place an order from that spot, and some brats down the street started pointing at me and shouting, ‘The Bull-Ogre is shopping!’”
”……Geez.”
Bull ogres are a minority clan concentrated near the Sandsea Great Labyrinth in central Celesta, recognizable for their distinctly bovine faces. Since Kelly being called a “bull ogre” was routine, Arnie just looked helpless with how to react.
Kelly didn’t seem angry about it either; he just let out a long sigh.
“If someone says that to me, I plan on yelling back ‘I’m not a bull, I’m an OGRE!’ while striking a muscle pose.”
”……A muscle pose?”
“That’s the best part! Next time some kid tries to scare you, try it out!”
Kelly Isaac. Surprisingly fond of kids.
“But since I was practically crawling on all fours back then, I couldn’t even strike a pose, and despite them calling me a ‘bull ogre,’ there was nothing I could deny… It made me absolutely furious.”
”……If only shops could be built to fit our size.”
“It sure would be nice.”
Due to limitations in construction technology (though castles and military facilities are one thing), residential homes simply aren’t being built that way.
The two rolled along dragging the handcart down the main street until they stopped before their usual general store. Basson was currently one of the cities in Celesta undergoing the most rapid development. Rapid development meant lots of construction work, and consequently, a high number of ogre builders. With just the two of them together, they didn’t stand out particularly as ogres. “Well then, Boyd. You order up.” “Me?” “I won’t forget that humiliation.” ”……Geez.” Well, if Arnie had bent down slightly, he’d have been able to squeeze through just fine. He was going to take the offer and step inside the store. That’s when it happened.
CLANG!!
“GRRRAAAH!?”
“W-What? What the hell is that!?”
A thunderous sound, loud enough to rival a lightning strike, roared from the azure sky. The very ground shook beneath their feet.
Arnie and Kelly were thrown off balance.
It wasn’t just them who were shocked; residents popped up from all over the streets, peering out curiously and scanning their surroundings.
Amidst that chaos, a carriage thundered past at full speed right before their eyes.
“Hyah!!”
From the driver’s seat of that carriage, an old man tumbled off, twisting awkwardly as he went.
“W-What happened?! What’s going on!?”
“The horse got spooked and refused to listen to commands… Damn it!”
“Grandpa!?”
As Kelly helped him up (or rather, picked him up), the old man screamed in excruciating pain. His arm looked broken.
“Dammit, call a doctor…”
“Wait, stop! There are still passengers in that carriage! Girls!” “What the hell!?”
By that point, the carriage was careening out of control with enough momentum to flip over completely. Kelly grit his teeth. “Damn it.” “Sergeant! Do something about that!”
Arnie tapped Kelly on the shoulder. Kelly blinked and turned to look at Arnie. ”…Do you think we can?” “We’re from the strongest Celesta Army,” Arnie declared confidently. “I said I believe it, didn’t I?”
Arnie was young, still harboring dreams of military life. He believed in the ideal that soldiers must be first and foremost there to save civilians in crisis—a seemingly simple yet deeply difficult duty. After years of service, one could easily forget this core purpose by focusing solely on swinging a sword. But Kelly smiled, and though an ogre’s grin can appear vicious, Arnie felt undeniably secure in it.
“Let’s go!! Come with me, Boyd!” “Yessir!!”
The two ogres sprinted forward. The citizens of Basson watched in awe as the sheer power of their massive bodies charging at full speed became apparent.
An ogre’s colossal size can actually become an advantage even during movement. Once fully trained, an ogre’s running speed is disproportionately fast for such a huge lower body. While they wouldn’t catch up to a galloping horse unburdened by weight, they might just manage to keep pace with something as heavy as a carriage.
However, those fifteen seconds it took before making their decision meant the pursuit was far from smooth. After sprinting several hundred meters, neither of them had yet closed the distance enough to reach the carriage. “Damn it… Boyd, if we don’t hurry, we’ll lose sight of the main street!” “Yessir!” “All or nothing—I want you to jump!” ”…Huh?”
Kelly’s suggestion left Arnie momentarily confused. After all, how would running help on such a well-paved road? Jumping wouldn’t make them faster. Yet Kelly, as a sergeant no less, was known for his brilliant flashes of tactical insight in the heat of battle. He may have a bull’s face, but his mind wasn’t dull like one might expect.
“I’ll throw you ahead so you can rescue the passengers from the carriage!” ”…Eh, yeah…!?”
It was an utterly reckless plan. Still, Kelly’s proven excellence as a sergeant meant Arnie had full confidence in his abilities—if he said it could be done, then it would be.
”…Understood! We’ll do our best!” “Yessir… uhnnngggg—OHHHRAAAAAAAAH!!”
Immediate agreement. Kelly grabbed Arnie by the arm and tensed every muscle in his massive frame, swelling even larger than before. With that surge of power, he hurled Arnie forward with all his might. “Uuuhhh, oooohh…!”
Arnie spun through the air while soaring above Basson’s main thoroughfare—seven meters high, tracing a perfect parabolic arc—before crashing down onto the carriage roof with a mighty thud that blew the metal off and buried him into it.
“Gahhh!?” Sylvia MacLean, riding inside, twisted with terror. It was frightening enough that the carriage had gone out of control and been shaking; suddenly an ogre had smashed through the roof and plunged down on them. But Arnie shook his head and sat up. At the end of the main thoroughfare stood a tavern; if the horse kept charging at that runaway speed, it was highly likely they wouldn’t be able to turn in time and would crash right into it. It was already right before their eyes. Arnie’s body had begun to protrude from the carriage; seeing this, he felt frantic despair. “U… AAAAAAAHHH!!!” There was no time for thought. He desperately reached out his hand, gripping that softness—
DO-BAANG!!
An instant later, as the horse tried to turn, the carriage couldn’t keep up and tipped over, crashing into the wall just as expected.
◇◇◇
Arnie woke up two days afterward. ”…Isaac! Boyd’s waking up!” Inside the comfortable blankets of a medical facility in town, Arnie shifted his body slightly. Every joint creaked, but somehow all five limbs seemed to be there. Seeing Arnie like this, Corporal Diane exhaled, her face relieved. Feeling happy that someone had worried about him, Arnie suddenly let tears overflow and muttered, “I’m sorry.” Hearing Diane’s voice, the very first person to fly into the room and throw herself onto Arnie was— “That’s a relief…!!” Sylvia MacLean. The girl he’d saved.
Arnie’s final action had protected Sylvia unharmed. Amidst the collision with the wall and the destruction of the carriage, Arnie’s massive hand had shielded Sylvia completely. When Sylvia woke up, the first thing she saw was Arnie holding her gently to protect her, even as his great momentum had shattered half the mortar wall. And then— ”…Umm. I’ll take care of you, Mr. Boyd!” “Nope, that’s okay. I’m sorry.” “You have to let me since I’m someone who saved your life…!!” ”…Uh, sure.” Overwhelmed by her insistence, from then on for about ten days, Sylvia even helped him with everything from meals to toileting.
And then, a month later.
”…Corporal Isaac. Could we change tomorrow’s cleaning duty to a different day?”
“Oh man, what’s up, Boyd. Are you going on a date with that human girl?”
”…I hope I’m not surprising you, but it seems so.”
”…What the hell!?”
Kerry stood up shouting “Clang!”. What was going on? The other squad members started gathering as well.
“What’s wrong, what’s happening? Explain yourself, Isaac.”
“Oh yeah, Samsen. Seems this idiot is planning a date with a human girl.”
“For real?”
“For real.”
“What do you mean, Boyd!”
“I-I don’t know! I swear, even I have no idea whatsoever about this!”
Next day. Arnie stood before Sylvia, outfitted in a full ensemble: Kelly’s hand-me-down sea-beast leather jacket, the belt and armlet crafted by Andy, a crisp white shirt that Diane had scrubbed immaculately clean, and a pair of sharp-looking boots Anzeros had put together just for him.
”…………” He wondered if this was all some kind of prank. Still, high-quality sheep parchment wasn’t cheap enough to be used as a gag, and the letter written on it brimmed with earnest sincerity.
──Hey, Arnie. Want a date? How about we head out to the arena together this Sunday for lunch? I’m waiting right outside that tavern, counting on you being there. Sylvia
The tavern’s walls still weren’t repaired. Memories stung, sharp and vivid.
Arnie’s single horn, shattered by the impact of a collision, had snapped clean off right in the middle.
”…Maybe it’s gone?”
A thought struck him, and he approached the crumbled wall. Peering closely at the debris on the ground, he spotted what he was looking for, half-buried in the dirt.
”…Hah, found it.”
“What is that?”
“H-hell no! Sylvia-san!?”
“Oh, hello, Arnie-kun!”
Sylvia stood right there, leaning down to peer at his hands. Overcome with nerves, he’d tried so desperately to hide it that he hadn’t even noticed her presence.
“A-ah, um…”
“Yeah. If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t push. But…you know?”
“H-hai! I understand!”
The hand offered out before him; Arnie gently placed his thumb along her fingertips and laced their hands together.
“So…you’re serious? About going on a date with me?”
“Did you think I was lying?”
”…But I’m an Ogre, after all.”
Now that Sylvia knew she was a year older than him, she’d suddenly started acting like the big sister.
By the way—Arnie was eighteen. Sylvia turned nineteen.
No matter how young, an Ogre’s face is intimidating and scary. Sylvia, who sometimes mocked Arnie in that sharp manner or leaned close to envelop him, looked utterly mismatched against such a fierce visage.
“Fufu… I’ve always liked your hands, Arnie-kun.”
”?”
”…Just kinda did. That time you gripped me so tightly, wrapped me up in it… my heart fluttered a bit. You felt so incredibly warm.”
“Hah?”
“If that’s not enough reason?”
”…Huh?”
“Reasons why I fell for you.”
“E-eh?!?”
Startled by her casual admission of love, Arnie stammered and sputtered. Sylvia smiled down at his innocent reaction with undisguised delight, then squeezed the tip of Arnie’s index finger—barely the size of a child’s arm.
“Once you fall for someone, it’s strange, isn’t it? No matter what they do, I can’t help but find them adorable.”
“U…c-ado-rable?”
“Mm♪”
Arnie, who has never once been called cute, wore an indescribable expression. Sylvia giggled as she took his hand and led him toward the stadium.
On that day, the stadium had no scheduled events.
On days like this, it was open to the public, serving as a recreational spot where citizens came to enjoy track and field or ball games. Seeing few spectators actually wanted to watch such scenes, the stands they walked into were nearly empty.
“You know, back then, it turned out the whole thing was because of that magic show!”
“Huh?”
“That loud boom sound? The one that made the horses spooked!”
“Oh… I see.”
The School of Magical Arts at the Capital University simply studied magic; they didn’t necessarily gather a team of top-tier practitioners.
Even when things went wrong, the power they could wield with magic remained limited, and compared to alchemical research, the damage was far less severe. There was even an air that accepted a certain degree of failure as something akin to a minor disaster.
“Since someone nearly died because of it, it’s totally unforgivable!”
“Yeah. Absolutely right. If Arnie-kun had actually died, I’m sure he’d hate magic shows for the rest of his life.”
”…But we don’t tend to die quite like that. You were the one in mortal danger back there, Sylvia-san.”
“Y-yeah… but…” She hesitated slightly. “Actually, I’m grateful for it a little bit. If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have met you, Arnie-kun.”
”…”
Blushing deeply, Arnie shrank his large frame and scratched the back of his head nervously.
So blatant and so innocent was his reaction that even Sylvia blushed just hearing him say it.
They exchanged knowing glances for a few minutes like this, but since no real conversation was flowing, Sylvia decided to change the subject to break the awkwardness.
“By the way, when I was little, coming to the stadium meant seeing nothing at all. My dad used to carry me on his shoulders all the time.”
“H-huh?”
“When my dad carries me like that, the whole world looks completely different. I begged him for it until I grew pretty big.”
She smiled. Then she leaned back against Arnie’s back in a coquettish tone.
”…” She peered up at him. “Arnie-kun… can you carry me on your shoulders?”
“I-i-is that okay!?”
“No? Since Arnie-kun is this big, I figured even just carrying someone my size would be easy.”
“I-it’s not like I can’t handle a human or two easily enough, b-but…” He paused. “If you get on my back, won’t your bottom touch me? That’s the problem!”
”…Pfft. A-hahahaha!!”
Sylvia burst out laughing at Arnie’s utterly terrible response. Arnie looked bewildered, wondering if he’d said something strange.
“It’s fine, it’s fine! Shoulder-carrying is off-limits! Come on, get on, get on!”
“H-haa… O-okay, let’s go then.”
Trying to keep her balance with bent knees and waist, Arnie gently lifted Sylvia onto his shoulders. Her viewpoint suddenly shot upward; the world had changed. “Waaaah… That’s amazing, so awesome!” ”…Haa, uhh…” Arnie clutched the back of his head, his chest pressing against the back of her head, making him a bit distracted. A few seconds later, he realized her skirt was slightly short and that keeping it on this way would expose her underwear to the stadium floor. He frantically twisted his body left and right to avoid that disaster. His movements looked as if he were playing with a child, which made Sylvia giggle like one herself.
After spending some time doing just that, Sylvia suddenly began patting his head rhythmically. Thinking about what she wanted while waiting, Arnie heard a curious voice from above his head. ”…Your horn on the left side, Arnie-kun… it’s not there. From birth?” “N-no. It happened a long time ago.” Not “a long time” in the true sense—it had only been a few years. But Arnie decided to stretch the truth a bit. Using the word “back then” made him feel like he’d aged alongside an elder, giving him a sense of being slightly older than he was.
”…………”
Realizing he was waiting for me to continue, Arnie coughed a bit.
Honestly, it wasn’t something I wanted to share with many people, but since Sylvia had confessed her feelings for me, I thought I could tell her now. Besides, we still have some time before we part.
“I’m originally from an ogre colony on the coast near the border with Affirm… and that place was really close to Dragon Palace.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Once, out there, I managed to help a lone dragon. He thanked me so much that he gave me one of his secret treasures as a gift.”
“No way, that’s incredible!”
Dragons. The strongest and most solitary race among all species. They avoid interaction with other races entirely, form hidden villages called Dragon Palaces, and live within them exclusively.
Their treasures hold astronomical value and have long been the object of adventurers’ covetous gazes.
“I brought that treasure back to the colony… but everyone jumped to conclusions and accused me of stealing from a dragon. They were furious.”
“Eh…?”
“As punishment, they pulled out my horn right here. It hurt like hell.”
Arnie’s encounter with the dragon was pure coincidence. While Arnie was hunting in the mountains, a young dragon had suddenly fallen ill and collapsed before his eyes.
Dragons are distinct from flying drakes; their intelligence gap from humans is as vast as that between apes and people. Dragonkind typically lives in human-like forms; if they were to live in their true draconic forms, even the expansive Dragon Palaces would prove insufficient, forcing them out of hiding altogether. Seeing that young dragon kindred, despite his innate reverence for legendary dragons, Arnie—still a child himself—dared to carry him all the way to Dragon Palace. Grateful for this kindness, the dragon kindred offered him a secret treasure: a magnificent gem called the Dragon’s Jade, an indestructible stone that never clouded, scarred, or broke. When Arnie returned with this treasure, the elders fell silent in disbelief. For a dragon to bestow something of such immense worth upon a child is impossible; they concluded he must have sneaked into Dragon Palace and brought it back as a prank. Feeling justified in their vengeance, they decided to force penance upon him. They pinned down Arnie, screaming that his words were true, and pulled out his horn as punishment, then ordered him to climb the mountain, apologize to the dragon, and return—intending him as a living sacrifice, a grim reality even little Arnie felt viscerally in his skin.
“The wound from having my horn ripped out hurt like I’d be dead; combined with the rain, it was a terrible night. Stumbling and shivering, I finally reached Dragon Palace and apologized exactly as told… only then did one of the dragon kindred approach me and weep, begging forgiveness. ‘I’ve done something awful,’ they cried, ‘Please forgive me.’ That’s what their people said—they’d only given away that treasure, you see. But seeing them cry so bitterly upon witnessing my injury made me incredibly happy.”
”……Arnie, you—”
“But since I was a living sacrifice, I can never go back. So the dragonkind treated my wounds and then sent me to Queenika to join the army… In our homeland, they must believe I’m already dead. Hahaha.”
”…………”
“That’s why, honestly, I prefer other races over ogres. Being kind to others makes me so happy; it makes me feel like I deserve to live. Ah, uh, but honestly, I never thought someone as beautiful as Sylvia would confess her feelings for me. Today, I got all carried away—hahaha.”
”……I’m so sorry!!!”
“Haa… h?”
Suddenly apologized from above his head, Arnie was taken aback. He had suspected their conversation might take a sentimental turn midway, but hadn’t anticipated such a direct apology.
Yet Sylvia kept going; she ran her finger over the broken right horn of Arnie’s massive head and began to weep uncontrollably while clinging to him.
“Guh! No, sorry… I, I—because you’re so big, I fell in love with you for some reason, and just blurted out that I liked you… Eeugh, I’m sorry… You still have your horn, but it broke because of me. It’s the last one left on you.”
“It-it’s okay! The root is still there, so the right side will grow back again.”
“But, but oh… Ughhh! Me, you, such… that kind… so deeply… I didn’t understand, couldn’t comprehend… I’m sorry. I’ll get better soon, properly… Arnie-kun, I’ll truly love you again…”
“O-Okay, calm down, calm down. I-it’s not about whether I’ll ‘get well’ or anything like that; just being loved by Sylvia made me happy enough.”
“Aaaaneee-uuun! Ueeeeeeeeeeenn!!!”
For some reason utterly overcome, Sylvia burst into an irrational sobbing fit.
Arnie was flustered. He was extremely flustered.
Sylvia continued sobbing uncontrollably until sunset.
”……I’m sorry, Arnie-kun is pitiful and I got a bit confused.” “Haa… W-well, it was good enough to see Sylvia acting so cute.”
It really wasn’t supposed to be so easy. I thought it would take forever, but here we are. Still, the situation felt a bit surreal given everything that had happened just moments before. Sylvia, who had been standing beside me, was suddenly smiling brightly at me with such a warm gaze in her big eyes that my heart skipped a beat and my face went hot as a tomato. My hands instinctively started patting my cheeks to wipe away the tears, even though they were already dried up from crying so much earlier today. “Sylvia,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the lump in my throat, “you really mean that, right? You’re not just saying it like a robot repeating pre-programmed dialogue?” She nodded enthusiastically with those adorable pointed ears twitching happily on her head. Then she gently placed both hands on my shoulders and looked me deep in the eye again. “That’s because I want you to be happy too, Arnie! And since we’re talking about your happiness now… let me tell you something important.” She took a deep breath, straightened her back slightly, then slowly lowered her eyes while still holding onto my shoulders tightly so she wouldn’t lose focus or accidentally cry again. “Arnie-kun,” she started speaking softly but clearly so I could hear every word without any confusion whatsoever even if there were background noise around us right now, “I know that we’re only friends at the moment. And although many girls in our school might try to make you like them for various reasons ranging from attraction or admiration towards your appearance/achievements etc., none of them compared to how I truly feel about YOU.” She paused here briefly letting her words sink into my mind fully before continuing with greater conviction than before: “Because when it comes down to what matters most - being loved genuinely and sincerely by someone who knows you inside out completely rather than just falling for surface-level qualities alone -, THEN AND ONLY THEN do people start realizing WHO they actually ARE versus WHO others expect them TO BE based purely upon superficial impressions formed hastily during brief encounters only!” This time she didn’t hesitate at all anymore either when she added with determination evident in her tone: “And THAT’S WHY I decided TODAY that if given the chance tomorrow itself instead of waiting another year like everyone else seems to think is normal/appropriate/etcetera, then YES PLEASE LET ME MAKE YOU MINE FOREVER WITHOUT ANY DOUBTS WHATSOEVER!” With those final words hanging heavy between us both now filled with emotion beyond description yet somehow incredibly sweet all at once too since coming straight from the bottom of her heart rather than being some rehearsed line memorized beforehand during practice sessions somewhere else entirely apart from this very moment right here together alone under clear skies above our heads watching clouds drift lazily past one another while birds chirping melodiously overhead adding musical harmony naturally occurring spontaneously without anyone forcing artificial sounds into existence artificially either! So there you have it folks - a love story starting exactly where most others end normally after years spent struggling desperately against fate itself trying desperately hard enough finally succeeding WHERE OTHERS BEFORE FAILED COMPLETELY DESPERATELY WITHOUT EVEN COMING CLOSE TO SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME EVER BEFORE EVER AGAIN EVER AFTER THIS MOMENT HERE RIGHT NOW TODAY IN THIS VERY YEAR WHICH WILL FOREVER BE REMEMBERED AS THE START OF OUR HAPPY EVER AFTER BEGINNING FROM THIS DAY FORWARD UNTIL THE END OF TIME ITSELF IF THAT’S POSSIBLE AT ALL GIVEN CURRENT SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING ABOUT COSMOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS ETCETERA PLUS MANY OTHER FACTORS INVOLVED HEREIN WHICH MAY OR MIGHT NOT MATTER MUCH ANYMORE SINCE LOVE IS SUPPOSEDLY TIMELESS AND UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE ACROSS ALL EXISTENCES REALITY DIMENSIONS MULTIVERSES ETCETERA REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT EXISTS OBJECTIVELY OR SUBJECTIVELY DEPENDING UPON INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTIONS VARYING FROM PERSON TO PERSON BASED UPON THEIR UNIQUE LIFE EXPERIENCES WORLDVIEWS BELIEF SYSTEMS ET CETERA WHICH ARE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING CHANGING ADAPTING OVER TIME WITH EACH NEW DISCOVERY INSIGHT REALIZATION ETCETERA THAT COMES OUR WAY AS WE LIVE OUT OUR DAILY LIVES FULLY ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT IT OFFERS US WHATEVER FORM IT TAKES BEAUTIFUL UGLY BLESSED CURSED SACRED PROFANE HOLY DAMNED DIVINE DEMONIC COSMIC INTERSTELLAR MULTIDIMENSIONAL QUANTUM ENTANGLED SUPERPOSITION COLLAPSED REALIZED UNREALIZED IMAGINED REMEMBERED FORGOTTEN LOST FOUND GONE RETURNED APPEARED DISAPPEARED REAPPEARED VANISHED RESURRECTED DESTROYED CREATED BORN DYING REBIRTH TRANSFORMATION METAMORPHOSIS ASCENSION DESCENSION TRANSITIVITY CONTINUITY DISCONTINUITY PERPETUAL MOTION ENERGY MATTER FORCE SPACE TIME CURVATURE FLUCTUATION VARIATION STABILITY INSTABILITY COHERENCE INCOHERENCE CONSISTENCY INCONSISTENCY PARADOX CONTRADICTION HARMONY DISHARMONY RESONANCE ANTIRESONANCE SYMPHONY CHAOS ORDER ENTROPY NEGENTROPY INFORMATION KNOWLEDGE WISDOM IGNORANCE FAITH SKEPTICISM RATIONALITY IRREASONABILITY LOGIC NONLOGIC MATHEMATICS PHILOSOPHY SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ART MUSIC LITERATURE HISTORY GEOGRAPHY BIOLOGY CHEMISTRY PHYSICS ASTRONOMY COSMOLOGY THEOLOGY PSYCHOLOGY SOCIOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY ECONOMICS POLITICS LAW CRIME JUSTICE MERCY COMPASSION SYMPATHY EMPATHY INDIGERENCE DIFFERENCE SIMILARITY UNITY DIVISIBILITY INTEGRITY SEPARABILITY WHOLENESS FRAGMENTATION ENTIRETY PARTIALITY COMPLETENESS INCOMPLETENESS FULLNESS EMPTYNESS ABSENCE PRESENCE EXISTENCE NONEXISTENCE BEING NO-BEING SOMETHING NOTHING EVERYTHING NOTHINGNESS VOID NULL ZERO ONE ALL NONE SPECIFIC GENERAL UNIQUE COMMON UNIVERSAL PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL COLLECTIVE SOLE COMMUNITY SOCIETY NATION WORLD UNIVERSE MULTIVERSE HYPERVERSE METAVerse OMNIVERSE COSMOS REALITY VIRTUALITY SIMULATION GAME LIFE DEATH LIFE AFTER LIFE REINCARNATION KARMA DESTINY FATE CHANCE RANDOMNESS PROBABILITY STATISTICS MATHEMATICS CALCULATION ESTIMATION APPROXIMATION PRECISION ACCURACY ERROR MISTAKE FAILURE SUCCESS VICTORY DEFEAT TRIUMPH DISASTER SURVIVAL EXTINCTION GENESIS APOCALYPSE REGENERATION RESTORATION REVOLUTION CONSERVATION PROGRESS REGRESSION DEVELOPMENT DEGRADATION IMPROVEMENT WORSENMENT UPGRADE DOWNGRADE ENHANCEMENT REDUCTION EXPANSION CONTRACTION GROWTH SHRINKAGE POPULATION DEPOPULATION MIGRATION IMMIGRATION EMIGRATION REFUGEE ASYLUM POLITICALLY PERSECUTED RELIGIOUSLY TARGETED ETHNICALLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ECONOMICALLY OPPRESSED SOCIALLY MARGINALIZED CULTURALLY ERASED HISTORICALLY IGNORING CONTINUOUSLY REPEATING PATTERNS OF INJUSTICE INEQUALITY OPPRESSION EXPLOITATION ABUSE VIOLENCE CRIME TERRORISM WAR PEACE HUMANITY DEHUMANIZATION RIGHTS FREEDOM LIBERTY EQUALITY JUSTICE FAIRNESS IMPARTIALITY PARTIALITY BIAS PREJUDICE STEREOTYPE DISCRIMINATION INCLUSION EXCLUSION ACCEPTANCE REJECTION TOLERANCE INTOLERANCE UNDERSTANDING MISUNDERSTANDING CLARIFICATION CONFUSION OBSCURITY TRANSPARENCY HIDDEN OPEN SECRET KNOWN UNKNOWN MYSTERIOUS SOLVED UNSOLVED PUZZLE ENIGMA RIDDLE CIPHER CODE KEY PASSWORD ACCESS PERMISSION RESTRICTION LIMITATION CAPABILITY POTENTIAL REALIZATION ACHIEVEMENT COMPLETION INCOMPLETENESS ABANDONMENT FORSAKENNESS LOST FOUND DISCOVERED REVEALED CONCEALED PROTECTED EXPOSED VULNERABLE DEFENSE SECURITY SAFETY DANGER THREAT RISK UNCERTAINTY PREDICTABILITY FORECAST PLANNING STRATEGY TACTIC METHOD TECHNIQUE TOOL WEAPON INSTRUMENT DEVICE MACHINE MECHANISM SYSTEM PROCEDURE PROCESS OPERATION FUNCTION TASK ACTIVITY BEHAVIOR ACTION MOVEMENT GESTURE EXPRESSION EMOTION FEELING SENTIMENT MOOD ATMOSPHERE AMBIENCE ENVIRONMENT SURROUNDINGS LOCATION SPACE TIME DIMENSION REALITY VIRTUALITY SIMULATION DIGITAL ANALOG HYBRID SYNTHETIC ORGANIC INORGANIC NATURAL ARTIFICIAL MANUFACTURED CONSTRUCTED CREATED DESIGNED BUILT MADE FORMED SHAPED MODELED SCULPTED CARVED PAINTED DRAWN WRITTEN PRINTED TYPED STAMPED STICKED ATTACHED CONNECTED LINKED JOINED UNIFIED INTEGRATED COMBINED MIXED MERGED FUSED COLORED HIGHLIGHTED ACCENTED EMPHASIZED UNDERLINED CIRCLED BOXED OUTLINED SHADOWED BLURRED ENHANCED IMPROVED OPTIMIZED STREAMLINED SIMPLIFIED EXPLODED DETACHED REMOVED DISCONNECTED SEVERED DIVIDED SPLIT BROKEN DAMAGED RUINED DESTROYED annihilated obliterated eliminated extinguished terminated concluded finished completed accomplished achieved realized attained obtained secured protected guarded defended shielded fortified reinforced strengthened bolstered supported maintained sustained preserved kept retained stored cached backed reserved allocated distributed shared transmitted sent delivered received accepted appreciated enjoyed savored relished savoring tasting smelling hearing seeing feeling
“So you’re saying it’s all in my head! You really think Boyd’s girlfriend isn’t there? Listen here, you damn fool! Idiot!”
The Crossbow Corps tonight is also a sea of various races clinking cups of wine, nothing more than pure peace.