The Ogre race has one to three horns on their heads and are generally a large-bodied species.
They are said to live far in the western sea, though they are not as massive as the Giant race. In Trot Celesta and the northwest plains, however, they boast the strongest arm strength, unmatched by any other race.
Their naturally large bodies and arm strength ensure that even mediocre weapons do not pose a problem for them in combat.
According to official tactics of the Celestian army, if an armed human male or lightly armored dwarf is rated as 1, then an unarmed Ogre male would be equivalent to 2.5.
In other words, no matter how heavily armed a human soldier may be, it's considered tactically forbidden for them to challenge an unarmed Ogre with fewer than two soldiers.
With appropriate armament, their combat evaluation jumps to five, equating one Ogre to a single cavalryman in full charge. The Ogre’s bold and powerful style of fighting is the star attraction on any battlefield.
Considering this, it's easy to see how rare an Ace Knight would be if they were expected to match or surpass five Ogre soldiers alone.

By the way,

The large bodies and monstrous appearance of the Ogres are generally considered ugly and grotesque by humans, a fact that even the Ogres themselves acknowledge.
That said, the Ogres do not think humans are beautiful either. They say human women are "too frail to be trusted" and "cute but only inspire affection like for livestock; they don't arouse lust."

Of course, the Ogre race has its own standards of beauty and a balance in their sexual sensibilities. While Ogre women aren’t as muscular as men, they are tall by nature, and possess a reproductive system that can accommodate an average-sized Ogre penis measuring nearly fifty centimeters long (even instinctively shifting internal organs to make room). Additionally, Ogre women tend to be energetic overall, with some regions maintaining matrilineal societies where polyandry still exists. A strong woman who is tall, good-natured, and can accommodate men is considered an "ideal" Ogre woman, the polar opposite of a modern human society’s ideal lady.
Therefore, even in Celesta where inter-racial marriage is legally recognized, there are few marriages between humans and Ogres. Despite sharing the same social environment as humans and elves, they are viewed almost like complete “alien species.”
Amidst all this, an Ogre youth managed to clear numerous obstacles and find a human lover.
Arnie Boyd: A new recruit in the Crossbow Corps of the Celesta Northern Army stationed near Basson, a trading city in northern Celesta. He’s a provisional soldier.
This is the story of that miraculous couple.
Well, maybe "miraculous" was overstating it. It wasn’t quite a miracle, but still pretty impressive.

◇◇◇

In Basson, there are horse-drawn carriages circulating through town at random.

The carriage didn't go very fast, stopping frequently to let passengers on and off. The fare was cheap and the driver would bend the rules a little. It was more of a public service than an ordinary ride, but it allowed horses that had retired from racing to take leisurely walks around town.

Silvia MacLean rode in such a carriage to head over to the stadium on the other side of the city.

That day, there was going to be a magic show at the stadium. By "magic," they didn't mean sleight-of-hand tricks but real spells. Researchers from the Magic Research Department at the Capital University would perform their research-funded magic acts once a year and tour around Celesta for fun.

Silvia looked forward to this annual event more than anything else.

"...♪"

"Miss, you seem in high spirits," said the elderly driver.

"Yes, I look forward to the magic show every year," she replied with a broad smile.

"Oh yeah, it's that time of year. Well, why don't I take you there and watch the show too?"

"Hey, you're missing out if you don't look, old man!"

"Hah hah hah, well, as long as no one else is riding the carriage to the arena, it's fine."

The carriage clattered along at a leisurely pace toward the arena.

Ernie was on duty for shopping that day. He and his superior, Kelly Isaac, the Ten-Man Leader, had come to Basson pulling a cart together.

"Why are we the ones doing the shopping?"

"We could have made the humans do it."

Their grumbling about being on shopping duty was all too familiar. But there was a reason behind their complaints.

Ernie (Plain Ogre, 277 cm) and Kelly (Cow Ogre, 310 cm) can't ride in the wagon.

Well, soldier transport wagons are made to accommodate Ogres, so they could technically fit inside. However, there's no way for them to sit on the driver’s seat.

Therefore, when it’s their turn, they pull a hand-drawn cart instead. Even though Ogres pride themselves on being strong, it doesn’t make sense for them to do work that horses can handle better.

“Besides, Basson’s sundry shop has such low ceilings it's unbearable.”

“It’s almost impossible for us to stand up straight when we’re in there.”

“When I was taking orders before you came along, a kid pointed at me and said ‘Look! A cow is shopping!’”

“...Yeah.”

Cow Ogres live near the great desert labyrinth of Celesta Central. They generally have faces that resemble cows. Kelly being called a cow isn’t anything new to her, so Ernie doesn't know how to react.

Kelly didn’t seem upset about it either; she just sighed.

“I usually respond by saying ‘I’m not a cow, I'm an Ogre!’ and strike a muscle pose.”

「…are you doing a muscle pose?」

「It’s funny, isn’t it? Try this when kids are scared of you next time.」

Kelly Isaac turned out to be surprisingly fond of children.

「But back then I was almost on all fours and couldn’t even strike a pose. Plus, they called me an ox and I couldn’t deny it; it was really frustrating.」

「…I wish everything would fit our size though.」

「You said it.」

Due to construction issues (castles and military facilities aside), civilian houses were not built to accommodate their size.

The two of them pulled the cart down the main street, stopping in front of a familiar general store.
Basson was one of the most rapidly developing cities in Celesta.
Rapid development meant there was plenty of construction work going on, which also meant many ogres working as laborers. The pair didn’t stand out among other pairs of ogre workers.

"Alright, Boyd. You go and order it."

"It's me?"

"I won't forget that humiliation."

"...Huh?"

Well, if it was Ernie, he could bend a little to get in. He tried to take the job and enter the general store.

At that moment—

BOOM!!

"Oh my God!?"

"W-What is this!?"

The sky echoed with an enormous sound, as though even thunder would be ashamed. The ground shook.

Ernie and Kelly jumped.

Not just them, but people from all over the town came out of their houses in surprise. They looked around nervously.

Amidst this chaos, a carriage sped past the corner at high speed.

“Hyaah!!”

The driver tumbled off his seat as he turned the corner.

“What’s going on! What is that?!”

“The horse got spooked and wouldn’t listen to me… I-I-I-It…”

“Old man?!”

When Kelly tried to help him up (or rather, pick him up), the old man cried out in pain. His arm seemed broken.

“Damn it, need a doctor…”

“W-Wait a minute! There’s still a passenger in that carriage! A girl!”

“What?!”

The wagon was careening wildly, and it wasn’t clear what would happen next. Kelly clenched his teeth.

“Damn it.”

“Sergeant! We have to do something about that!”

Ernie slapped Kelly on the shoulder.

Kelly turned sharply to look at Ernie.

“…You think we can?”

“We’re the strongest Celesta army!”

“Didn’t I say that?”

Ernie was young and had dreams about the military. For example, he believed it should be natural but difficult for soldiers to prioritize helping civilians in crisis.

The longer one served in the military, the more they forgot this mindset because they became too accustomed to wielding their swords without hesitation.

Kelly laughed. His ogre face looked ferocious when smiling, but Ernie thought that smile was reassuring above all else.

“Let’s go!! Follow me, Boyd!!”

“Got it!!”

The two ogres started running. The citizens of Basson gasped at the sheer power displayed by their massive bodies in full sprint.

An ogre’s large body also functioned as an advantage when moving. A trained ogre’s speed was proportional to its enormous lower half, making it fast enough to catch up with a heavy cart, even if not quite able to keep pace with a naked horse.

However, the dozen seconds it took to make a decision were effective, and they couldn’t catch up easily. After running several hundred meters, they still hadn’t managed to get close enough.

“Damn… Boyd, if we keep this up, we’ll miss the main street!”

“Yeah?”

“It’s now or never! You gotta fly!”

“...What?”

Arnie was momentarily lost as to what Kelly meant.

Of course. There was no way jumping would make them faster on such a well-paved road.

But Kelly was the squad leader for a reason; he had a reputation for coming up with tactics at a moment’s notice. His mind wasn’t as dull as his bovine face might suggest.

“I’ll throw you, and then you save the passengers from the carriage!”

“...Eh?! What?!”

That was still an incredibly reckless plan.

But Ernie also believed that Kelly was a competent squad leader. If he said it could be done, then it would be.

“…Alright, I’ll do my best!”

“Y-You… uuuuoooooohhhhhh!!!”

Without hesitation, Kelly grabbed Ernie’s arm and flexed his muscles to an incredible degree, making him look even bigger than before. He threw Ernie forward with all that strength.

“U-Uh, oh, ooooh!!”

Ernie spun around as he flew through the air, tracing a beautiful parabola seven meters above Basson’s main street. Then,

“Ogaaah!”

He landed on top of a carriage roof—or rather, blew it off and sank into it with a thud.

“Hii!!”
Sylvia MacLean, who was inside the carriage, trembled in fear. The carriage had been swerving wildly when suddenly an ogre broke through the roof and fell into it.
But Arnie shook his head and got up.
At the end of the main street there was a tavern, and if the horses continued at their current speed, they would inevitably crash into it without being able to turn in time.
That place was already right ahead.
Arnie’s body had stuck out from the carriage. Seeing this, he panicked.
“Uu, aaaahhh!!”
There was no time for thought. He reached out his hand and grabbed onto something soft.

Crash!!

A moment later, as expected, when the horses tried to turn, the carriage couldn’t keep up and tipped over, crashing into the wall.

Ernie woke up two days later.
“…Boyd! Boyd’s awake!”
In the soft bed of the town clinic, Ernie moved his body slightly. His joints creaked, but he seemed to be in one piece.
Seeing Ernie like this, Captain Diane let out a sigh of relief.
Happy that she had been worried about him, Ernie suddenly overflowed with tears and whispered “Sorry.”
Hearing Diane’s voice, Sylvia McLean was the first to rush into the room and throw herself at Ernie.
“Thank goodness…!!”
The girl he had saved.
Ernie’s last action was protecting Sylvia unharmed.

Amidst the collision with the wall and the destruction of the carriage, Ernie’s giant hand had protected Sylvia.

When she awoke, the first thing Sylvia saw was Ernie’s gentle grip protecting her while he half-collapsed the mortar wall.

And then—

“…Um. I’ll take care of Mr. Boyd!”

“No, it’s okay. Sorry.”

“But you saved my life! Let me do this!!”

“…Uh, uh…”

After being pressured into it, for about ten days afterward she had helped him with everything from meals to bathroom breaks.

And then, one month later—

“Izzy Squad Leader. Could we switch the cleaning duty day tomorrow?”

“Ooh, so you’re going on a date with that human girl, Boyd?”

“I’d rather not be surprised. That’s what it looks like.”

“…What the hell?!”

Kerry stood up and shouted. The other members gathered around as well.

“What is it? What happened? Explain yourself, Isaac.”

“Y-Yeah, Smisson. This idiot says he’s going on a date with a human girl.”

“No way.”

“It’s true.”

“What do you mean by that, Boyd?”

“I-I don’t know either.”

The next day.
Ernie was dressed in Kelly’s old sea beast leather jacket, Andy-made belt and bracelets, Diane-cleaned clean shirts, and Angeles-picked cool shoes for his date with Sylvia.
“…”
He thought she might be teasing him a little.
But the good quality parchment paper would have been too expensive to use as mockery, and besides, the letter was written in such earnestness.

──Ernie-kun. I’m inviting you on a date.
Let’s go to the stadium together from Sunday noon.
I’ll wait for you at that tavern like I believe you will come.
　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sylvia

The tavern wall still hasn’t been repaired. Painful memories resurfaced.

Ernie's single horn was broken in half by the impact of the collision.

"...My horn, is it gone?"

On a whim, he approached the collapsed wall. Looking carefully at the ground and walls, he found what he was looking for partially buried on the floor.

"...Haha, there it is."

"What is it?"

"U-whoa, Sylvia-san!?"

"Sylvia says hello to you, Ernie-kun!"

Sylvia stood peering down at his hands. Ernie had been so tense and distracted that he hadn't noticed her approach until now.

"Eh... um..."

"Yeah? If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay. But...?"

“Y-Yeah! Got it!”

Ernie took the hand that was offered to him, gently placing his fingers on top of hers.

“…You really want to go out with me?”

“You didn’t believe me?”

“Well, I’m an Ogre…”

Since she found out he was a year older than her, Sylvia had suddenly started acting like an older sister. Ernie was eighteen and Sylvia nineteen years old. Even though they were young, the face of an Ogre looked fierce and intimidating. Sylvia’s teasing manner, sometimes even wrapping around him, made for quite a mismatch.

“Huhu… I really like your hand, Arnie-kun.”

“What?”

"...Well, kind of. When Arnie hugged me back then and held me close, I felt a little flutter in my heart. It was really warm."

"Hmm?"

"Is that not okay?"

"...Huh?"

"The reason why I like you."

"Eh...!?"

When she said "like" so casually, Arnie got flustered. Sylvia smiled happily at his innocent reaction and squeezed his index finger, which was as thick as a child’s arm.

"It's strange how once you start liking someone, everything they do just seems cute."

"...C-cute...?"

"Mmm♪"

Ernie, who had never been called cute before, made an indescribable expression. Sylvia happily pulled Ernie by the hand and led him to the arena.

The arena was empty that day; there were no events scheduled.
On days without any activities, it was open to the public for people to enjoy running or playing ball games, serving as a place of relaxation for citizens. Naturally, there weren’t many spectators interested in looking around inside the venue, so the stands where Ernie and Sylvia entered were almost empty.

“Back then, it was because of the magic show.”

“What?”

“The boom—when the horse got spooked by that sound.”

“Oh… I see.”

The Magic Research Department at the Capital University only focused on studying magic; they didn’t have a bunch of skilled practitioners.
Even if there were failures, the magical power involved was small enough to be handled with magic and caused less damage than alchemy research. It seemed like some level of failure was tolerated as if it were an unavoidable disaster.

“People could’ve died from that, so it’s pretty bad.”

"Yeah. That's true. If Ernie had died, I might have hated magic shows for the rest of my life."

"...We're not going to die anytime soon. You were the one who almost did."

"Uh-huh... but you know what? I'm kind of glad it happened. Otherwise, I wouldn't have met Ernie."

"..."

Ernie blushed and scratched his head with a hunched posture.

His obvious and innocent reaction made Sylvia blush too.

They spent several minutes staring at each other until Sylvia changed the subject to break the awkwardness.

"By the way, when I was little, I couldn’t see anything in the arena. My dad used to carry me on his shoulders all the time."

"Huh..."

"When he carried me, everything looked so different. I begged him for a long time before I stopped being that small."

She smiles and then, leaning against Ernie’s back in a pleading voice, she asks,

“…Ernie-kun, can I ride on your shoulders?”

“I-I’m okay with that!?”

“No good? I thought someone as big as you could handle me.”

“Well, yeah, maybe one or two humans wouldn’t be much trouble, but—your butt would get touched, right?”

“…Haha-hahahaha!!”

Ernie’s words are so ridiculous that Sylvia bursts out laughing. Ernie looks confused, wondering if he said something strange.

“It’s okay, it’s okay! Shoulder rides are free! C’mon, let me up there.”

“A-all right… I’ll do it then.”

Ernie carefully supports her waist and knees as he gently lifts Sylvia onto his shoulders.

Silvia's line of sight instantly rises. The world changes.

"Wow... amazing, amazing!"

"...Um, um..."

Ernie holds his head as if Silvia is hugging it, and her chest hits the back of his head, distracting him. After a few seconds, he notices that Silvia’s skirt is rather short and panics, shifting his body slightly to avoid exposing her underwear.

His movements seem like he's soothing Silvia, who laughs like a child.

They continue this for a while, but then Silvia starts patting Ernie’s head.

While waiting to see what she wants, an inquisitive voice comes from above his head.

"...Ernie-kun, you don’t have horns on the left side... since birth?"

"No. I had them before."

It wasn't that long ago; only a few years back. But Ernie likes to sound older by saying "before." Using the word "before" makes him feel like he's in the same league as someone older, giving him a sense of maturity.

“…”

Since they seemed to be waiting for him to continue, Ernie cleared his throat.

He didn’t really think it was something he should talk about much, but since Sylvia had said she liked him, he thought it would be okay to tell her. It would also help pass the time.

“I’m from an Ogre Colony near the coast close to Afilum’s border. And there, Dragon Palace was nearby.”

“Hmm hmm.”

“Well, I helped a dragon out once there. They were really grateful and gave me one of their treasures as thanks.”

“That’s amazing!”

Dragons. The strongest and most solitary race among all races. They didn’t interact with other races and lived in seclusion within Dragon Palace.

Their treasures had astronomical value and were the dream prizes for adventurers.

“I took it back to the colony… but they assumed I stole a dragon treasure, and got really mad at me.”

“W-what…?”

“It was a punishment for this horn being plucked. It hurt like hell.”

Ernie had helped the dragon by chance.
While hunting in the mountains, he found a young dragon who had collapsed from fever.

Dragons were a different species than flying dragons; they possessed intelligence levels comparable to that of apes and humans, and lived as human-like beings in their everyday lives. If they lived in their true forms, even Dragon Palace would be too small, and it wouldn’t serve its purpose as a hidden village.
Seeing the young dragon, Ernie was both awed by the legend of dragons and brave enough to carry him back to Dragon Palace despite still being a child himself.

The grateful dragon tribe gave him one secret treasure in return for his kindness. It was a beautiful gem called the Dragon’s Jewel that never clouded over or broke.
When Ernie returned with it, the adults were speechless.
They couldn’t believe that dragons would give such valuable items to a mere child. They concluded he must have stolen it by sneaking into Dragon Palace and playing pranks.
And they decided on their own to seek revenge and make him atone for his supposed sins.

I was screaming that I wasn’t lying, but they restrained me and pulled out my horns as punishment. Then they made me climb the mountain to apologize to the dragon. Even though it was meant to be a sacrifice for the adults, little Ernie could feel it in his bones.

The wound where my horn had been torn out hurt like hell, and with rain pouring down, it was an awful night. I staggered into Dragon Palace as instructed and apologized… Then the dragon people cried and apologized to me too. They said they’d done a terrible thing and asked for forgiveness. All they did was give me treasure, but seeing them cry so much over my wound made me incredibly happy.

“…Ernie, you…”

“But I can’t go back now that I’ve been sacrificed. So after getting the dragon people to treat my wounds, I left Quica as a soldier. …They probably think I’m dead back home, huh? Hahaha.”

“…………”

“And that’s why I really like other races more than orcs. It makes me so happy when they’re nice to me. It feels like I deserve to live. Oh, and I didn’t expect someone as pretty as Sylvia to say she liked me today, so I got carried away, hahaha.”

“…I’m sorry!!”

“Haha… huh?”

Ernie was surprised when she suddenly apologized from above his head. He had thought the story would get mushy eventually, but he hadn’t expected her to apologize like that.

But Sylvia continued by stroking Ernie’s broken right horn with her finger and then clinging onto his big head as she began sobbing loudly.

“Huu, gghh, I’m sorry... It’s just that you’re so big and I kind of fell for it without really thinking, and then I said I liked you... Uwahhh, I’m sorry… Your horns broke because of me, the last one too...”

“It’s okay. The root is still there; they’ll grow back on the right side.”

“But, but... uhhh... I didn’t know that my feelings for you would be so heavy and hard to understand... I’m sorry, I will properly like you from now on… Arnie-kun, I promise I’ll really like you again…”

“Calm down, calm down. It’s fine; I’m just happy that Sylvia-san likes me.”

“Aa-nii-kuuu! Waaaaahhhhhh!”

Sylvia started crying uncontrollably, overwhelmed by emotion.

Arnie was at a loss. He was very much at a loss.

She continued to cry until the sun set.

“...I’m sorry, I got confused seeing Arnie-kun like this.”

“Heh… Well, it’s nice that I could see your cute side.”

I couldn’t see it because it was always behind my head.

Silvia sniffled and wiped her nose, then looked up at Ernie with a serious expression. “T-Then let me say this again… I really like you, Ernie. I’ve come to love you.”

“Y-Yes?”

“…So…”

“…………”

“…………”

She had lost momentum and lowered her head in embarrassment. Ernie was also flustered, his face red as he stared at her.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Ernie saw a familiar bovine face. “!? ”

Kerry, and Andy at her feet.
Andy was sitting with his legs crossed, pointing down at Kerry silently flipping him off. It wasn't very mature of him.
Kerry pumped her fists in front of her face, giving a “Go! Go!” sign.
Ernie was taken aback by what they were doing but after some thought he understood the meaning behind Kerry’s “Go!” gesture.
That's right. Ernie had to move forward. That was the situation.
“Um,”
At the sound of his voice, Sylvia looked up in surprise.
Ernie bent down and looked her straight in the eye as he said earnestly,
“I also love you very much... I would like to be your boyfriend.”
“Yes.”

Silvia moved closer and kissed the giant lips of the ogre with her delicate ones.
The setting sun sliced across the mountain ridges, casting a gentle shadow over the lovers.

◇◇◇

“Smithson Decurion.”

“What’s this? If it isn’t Boyd Sub-Lieutenant, the man with a girl by his side.”

“Um… I-I need to talk about her.”

“Cheh. What is it now? Another special accessory you want? My taste isn’t that good and I can’t keep up with your requests forever.”

“No, well, not exactly an accessory…”

“...Oh, so it’s something else then. Alright, wait a moment.”

Silvia usually worked at a deli in the corner of Basson city, frying food there.

That night, Arnie showed up unexpectedly without an appointment.

"Sorry, I'm closing the sign... ah, Arnie."

"Ms. Sylvia. Um... this, would you take it?"

Suddenly, a small accessory was thrust in front of Sylvia.

It was a necklace made by Andy, with lacquer applied to Arnie's horn and a thin chain passed through holes drilled into it.

"Eh... This is..."

"Yes. I want the person I love to have my horns."

"Whick. ...Damn it. Listen up you guys. Even though I'm here now, back home there's this incredibly beautiful girl! With big boobs! And her waist is so tiny and curvy! She loves me so much! Plus, you're a half-elf!"

"Oh yeah sure, here we go again with Smisson's imaginary girlfriend story."

"Looks like it's time. Waitress-san, let's get the bill."

"So it's not in my head! She really isn't Boyd’s girlfriend or anything like that, you moron! Listen up, dumbass!"

The crossbow squad was peaceful tonight as various races shared drinks.

The ogre race possesses one to three horns on their heads and is characterized by their overall massive stature. While not quite as legendary as the giants said to dwell far beyond the western seas, they possess a level of raw strength that can be considered the strongest in the Northwest Plains, including the Trot Celesta region. Their innate massive size and physical power guarantee a combat effectiveness that renders mediocre weaponry irrelevant.

According to the official tactical indices of the Celesta Army, if a standard human male in full combat gear and a dwarf light infantryman are both assigned a value of 1, an unarmed ogre male is equivalent to 2.5. In other words, no matter how heavily armored a human regular soldier may be, it is a tactical taboo to challenge an unarmed ogre with fewer than two men. When equipped with appropriate weaponry, their combat rating jumps instantly to 5—equivalent to a single unit of heavy shock cavalry. The ogres' boisterous fighting style makes them the stars of the battlefield. One can only imagine how rare an "Ace Knight" must be to be expected to hold their own—and even prevail—against five such ogre regulars single-handedly.

But I digress.

It is a widely acknowledged fact, even by the ogres themselves, that their massive frames and somewhat monstrous appearances tend to strike humans as hideous. Of course, ogres do not find humans beautiful either. According to them, human women are "too slender and weak, which causes anxiety" and, while "cute, they fail to arouse passion, elicating only a sense of affection similar to that felt for livestock." Naturally, the ogre race has its own aesthetic standards and sexual sensibilities.

While ogre women are not as muscular as their male counterparts, they are undeniably tall. As a racial trait, they possess exceptionally flexible anatomy, allowing their robust bodies to accommodate the ogre male's phallus—which averages nearly 50 centimeters in length—by instinctively shifting their internal organs. Furthermore, women are generally the more energetic members of the species, and in some regions, they maintain matriarchal societies where polyandry persists. To an ogre, a "fine woman" is one who is tall, spirited, and strong enough to take a man's prowess in stride—the polar opposite of the exemplary lady found in modern human society. Consequently, even in Celesta, where interspecies marriage is legally recognized, unions between ogres and humans are rare. Even when living side-by-side, the perception of ogres remains closer to that of an entirely "alien species" rather than something akin to the relationship between humans and elves.

It was within this context that an ogre youth managed to clear numerous hurdles to find a human lover.
Arnie Boyd. A rookie private in the Celesta Northern Legion's crossbow unit, stationed near the trading city of Basson in northern Celesta.
This is the story of that miraculous couple.
Actually, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. It wasn't quite a miracle. But it was certainly something quite remarkable.

◇◇◇

In Basson, shared horse carriages patrol the streets at a leisurely pace. They don't move much faster than a walk and stop frequently to let passengers on and off, but the fares are cheap and the drivers are often flexible. It is essentially a public works project—a way for retired riding horses to get some exercise during their daily strolls.

Sylvia Maclain boarded such a carriage and requested to be taken to the Great Stadium on the other side of town. A magic show was scheduled to take place at the stadium that day. By "magic" here, I do not mean sleight of hand, but true sorcery. Researchers from the Capital University's Department of Magic travel the length of Celesta once a year, putting on visually spectacular displays to raise research funds. This annual magic show had become Sylvia's favorite event of the year.

"...♪"

"You seem to be in high spirits, young lady."

Sylvia responded to the old driver's words with a beaming smile.

"Yes, I look forward to the magic show every year!"

"Ah, so that's the season. Perhaps I'll take a look myself while I'm dropping you off."

"You'd be missing out if you didn't, old man!"

"Hahaha! Well, as long as no other passengers pile in before we reach the stadium!"

Clop-clop, clatter-clatter.
The carriage continued its slow, rhythmic journey toward the stadium.

---

Arnie was on grocery duty that day. He had traveled to Basson, pulling a handcart alongside his superior, Decurion Kelly Isaac.

"Why is it that we're the ones on grocery duty?"

"They should just make the humans do it."

Complaints during grocery duty are universal. However, there was a reason for their grumbling.

Arnie (a Plain Ogre, 277 cm tall) and Kelly (a Minotaur Ogre, 310 cm tall) couldn't fit in a carriage together.
Well, it’s not that they couldn't fit—troop transport carriages are designed to accommodate ogres—it was just that they couldn't sit on the driver's bench.
Therefore, whenever these two were on duty, they used a hand-drawn cart instead of a carriage. Even for the strength-proud Ogre race, there was something deeply unsatisfying about doing the work that a horse could easily handle.

"I'm telling you, the ceilings in Basson's general stores are just unbearable."

"I guess for a Decurion, you're mostly on all fours, huh?"

"Before you joined, I was over there placing an order and some local kid pointed at me and yelled, 'Look, the cow is shopping!'"

"...Sigh."

The Minotaur Ogres are a minority ethnic group living in clusters near the Great Desert Labyrinth in central Celesta, and they generally have bovine features. Since being called a cow was a regular occurrence for Kelly, Arnie didn't know how to react.

Kelly didn't seem particularly angry about it either, letting out a heavy sigh.

"So now, whenever someone says that to me, I've decided to strike a muscle pose while yelling, 'I'm not a cow, I'm an ogre!'"

"...Muscle posing, huh?"

"It cracks them up. You should try it next time a kid scares you."

Kelly Isaac. Surprisingly, he was quite fond of children.

"But at that time, I was mostly on all fours, so I couldn't even strike a pose. I couldn't even deny being a cow. It was incredibly frustrating."

"...I wish they'd just build everything to our size."

"Tell me about it."

Due to the limitations of construction technology, it was difficult to achieve that for residential buildings (even if castles and military facilities were a different story).

The two of them pulled the cart along, rolling through the main street until they stopped in front of their usual general store.
Basson is currently one of the fastest-growing cities in Celesta.
Rapid growth meant frequent construction, which meant many ogre construction workers were around. A pair of ogres didn't stand out particularly much.

"Alright, Void. You go in and place the order."

"Me?"

"I will never forget that humiliation."

"...Sigh."

Well, Arnie could manage to get in and out if he ducked a little. He accepted the task and turned to enter the store.

It was then.

CRACK!!

"Waaaaah!?"

"Wh-what? What was that!?"

A massive sound, loud enough to rival thunder, echoed through the blue sky. The ground even shook.

Arnie and Kelly jumped in fright.

They weren't the only ones startled; residents began peeking out from all over the city, looking around in confusion.

In the midst of the chaos, a carriage tore around the corner ahead at high speed.

"Hyaaa!!"

As the carriage swung around, an elderly man tumbled off the driver's bench.

"Wh-what happened?! What was that!?"

"The horses got spooked and stopped listening to—ow, ow, ow!!"

"Old man!?"

As Kelly helped him up (or rather, picked him up), the old man groaned in intense pain. It looked like he had broken his arm.

"Damn it, get a doctor..."

"W-wait a second! There are still passengers in that carriage! A girl is in there!"

"What!?"

Looking ahead, the carriage was careening out of control with such momentum it looked as if it might overturn at any moment.

Kelly ground his teeth, unable to even begin to predict how this would end.

"Damn it!"

"Decurion! We have to do something!"

Arnie tapped Kelly on the shoulder.

Kelly snapped out of it and looked at Arnie.

"...Do you think we can?"

"We're the strongest of the Celesta Army, after all!"

"You said it."

Arnie was young, and he still held dreams for the military.

Specifically, the idea that a soldier's first duty is to be the first to aid citizens in crisis—a concept that seems obvious, yet is incredibly difficult to uphold.

After years of military service, Kelly had found that the sheer weight of swinging a sword made it all too easy to forget that sentiment before he even realized it.

Kelly laughed. An ogre's face looks ferocious when it smiles, but to Arnie, that grin was more reassuring than anything else.

"Let's go!! Follow me, Void!!"

"Yes, sir!!"

The two ogres took off. The citizens of Basson gasped at the sheer impact of the two massive figures sprinting at full tilt.

An ogre's massive size functions as an advantage during movement.

A well-trained ogre's sprint is fast, proportional to the immense power of their massive lower bodies. While they couldn't catch a naked horse, they could just about manage to keep up with a heavy carriage.

However, the dozen or so seconds lost during their decision-making proved costly, and they struggled to close the gap. Even after running several hundred meters, the two had not yet reached a distance where they could reach out and grab it.

"Damn it... Void, at this rate, we're going to lose them right in the middle of the main street!"

"Yes, sir!"

"It's all or nothing. You fly!"

"...Huh?"

For a moment, Arnie couldn't grasp what Kelly was saying.

It was only natural. On a road as well-paved as this, jumping wouldn't make them any faster.

However, as a Decurion, Kelly had a reputation for sudden flashes of tactical brilliance. Despite his bovine face, his mind was far from bovine-like dullness.

"I'm going to hurl you! You rescue the passengers from the carriage!"

"...Wha—whaaaat!?"

Even so, it was an outrageous plan.

Yet, Arnie believed in Kelly's competence as a Decurion. If he said it could be done, it could be done.

"...Understood. I'm counting on you, sir!"

"Alright... HRAAAAAAAAGH!!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Kelly grabbed Arnie's arm, his entire musculature swelling. The expansion was so great that, despite his already enormous frame, he seemed to grow even larger.

With that raw power, he hurled Arnie forward with everything he had.

"W-whoaaa, ooooh!!"

Arnie flew through the air, spinning wildly. Tracing a beautiful parabola seven meters above the Basson main street, he went—

"OGH!"

THUD!

He landed on the roof of the carriage—or rather, he smashed through the roof and became embedded in it.

"Eek!!"

Inside the carriage, Silvia McLain let out a terrified shriek. It was understandable; the carriage was already careening out of control and shaking violently when an ogre suddenly crashed through the roof.

However, Arnie shook his head and sat upright.

At the end of the main street sat a tavern. If the horses continued at this runaway speed, there was a high probability they wouldn't be able to make the turn and would crash straight into it.

The impact was right before his eyes.

With his body hanging out of the carriage, Arnie felt a surge of panic.

"Ugh, AAAAGH!!"

He couldn't think; he couldn't do anything. He simply reached out instinctively. He grabbed something soft, and—

CRASH!!

A moment later, as the horses attempted to turn, the carriage couldn't keep up. Just as expected, it tilted and slammed into the wall.

◇◇◇

It was two days later when Arnie opened his eyes.

"...Void! Void is awake!"

Lying in a fluffy bed in the town clinic, Arnie moved his body slightly. Everything creaked and groaned, but it seemed his limbs were all still intact.

Seeing him stir, Centurion Diane let out a sigh of relief.

Overwhelmed with joy that people had been worried about him, Arng suddenly burst into tears and muttered, "I'm sorry."

Hearing Diane's voice, the first person to burst into the room and leap toward Arnie was—

"Thank goodness...!!"

Silvia McLain. The girl he had saved.

Arnie's final act had protected Silvia without a scratch. Amidst the collision with the wall and the crushing of the carriage, Arnie's massive hand had shielded her completely.

The first thing Silvia saw upon waking was Arnie, his hand gently cradling her to protect her even as it had partially demolished the mortar wall.

And then...

"...Um! I'll take care of everything for you, Mr. Void!"

"No, really, I'm fine. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"You're my lifesaver, so please, let me do this!!"

"...U-Uh, okay."

Overpowered by her persistence, he ended up having Silvia assist him with everything—from meals to even helping him use the restroom—for about ten days.

---

One month later.

"...Decurion Isaac. Could you swap my cleaning duty to a different day tomorrow?"

"Oh? What's up, Void? Are you going on a date with that human girl?"

"...I'd prefer if you didn't act surprised, but... it seems so."

"............WHAT!?"

Kelly shouted as he slammed his chair back. The other squad members began to gather, wondering what was happening.

"What is it? What's going on? Explain yourself, Isaac."

"O-Oh, Smyson. Apparently, this idiot is going on a date with a human girl."

"Are you serious?"

"I am."

"What do you mean by this, Void!?"

"I-I mean, well, even I don't really know..."

The next day.

Dressed in a complete outfit—Kelly's hand-me-down sea beast leather jacket, accessories like the belt and bracelet crafted by Andy, a clean shirt thoroughly laundered by Diane, and the stylish shoes selected by Anzeros—Arnie prepared to meet Silvia.

"........"

He couldn't help but think he might be being teased a little.
However, the parchment used was far too high-quality to be used for a joke, and the letter written upon it overflowed with sincerity.

—Dear Arnie. I would like to invite you on a date. Let us go to the arena together this Sunday afternoon. I believe you will come, so I will be waiting in front of that tavern. —Silvia

The wall of the tavern had still not been repaired. The painful memory resurfaced.
Arnie's single horn had snapped halfway through from the impact of the collision.

"...I wonder if my horn is around here somewhere."
On a sudden whim, he approached the crumbled wall. As he searched the wall and ground carefully, he found what he was looking for, lying partially buried in the dirt.

"...Haha, found it."

"Found what?"

"Wha—Whoa, Silvia-san!?"

"Hello, Arically!"

Silvia was standing there, leaning in to peer at what was in Arnie's hands. Arnie had been far too nervous and was trying so hard to distract himself that he hadn't noticed her at all.

"U-Um..."

"It's okay. You don't have to say if you don't want to. More importantly... right?"

"Y-Yes. Understood!"

She held out her hand, palm up. Arnie took it, resting his hand gently against the base of her fingers.

"...Are you... are you serious about this date with me?"

"Did you think I was lying?"

"...But, I'm an ogre."

Ever since she realized she was one year older than him, Silvia had suddenly started acting like an older sister.
For the record, Arnie was eighteen, and Silvia was nineteen.
No matter how young they were, an ogre's face was rugged and intimidating. Silvia’s presence—teasing him one moment and leaning in close to embrace him the next—was a complete mismatch for someone like Arnie.

"Fufu. ...You know, Arnie, I like your hands."

"?"

"...Just because. When you gripped my hand so tightly that time, enclosing it... my heart fluttered a little. They felt so warm."

"Uh..."

"Is that not enough?"

"...Eh?"

"As for the reason why I fell for you."

"E-Eeeeh!?"

Arnie flustered as she said "I love you" so casually. Silvia smiled, clearly enjoying his innocent reaction, and squeezed Arnie's index finger, which was as thick as a child's arm.

"It's strange, isn't it? Once you fall in love, no matter what you do, I find everything about you adorable."

"Ugh... A-Adorable...?"

"Mhm♪"

Arnie, who had never been called cute before, wore an indescribable expression. Taking his hand, Silvia happily led him toward the stadium.

There were no events scheduled at the stadium that day.
On days when nothing was happening, the facility was open to the public, serving as a place of relaxation for citizens to enjoy track and field or ball games. Since there were no spectators around to peer inside, the stands the two had entered were almost entirely empty.

"You know, I heard it was actually because of that magic show."

"?"

"That big boom sound. The one that startled the horses."

"Ah... I see."

The Magic Research Department of the Capital University strictly focused on the study of magic; it wasn't a place where master practitioners gathered.

Even when mistakes occurred, the amount of power being manipulated was small, and since the damage was far less than that of alchemy research, there was even an air of tolerance, as if such failures were accepted as minor calamities.

"I mean, someone almost died, so it was pretty intense."

"Yeah. Seriously. If you had died, Arnie, I might have hated magic shows for the rest of my life."

"...I'm not that easy to kill. You're the one who almost died, Silvia."

"Yeah. ...But you know, I'm actually a little grateful. If that hadn't happened, I never would have met you."

"............"

Arnie turned bright red. He hunched his large frame and scratched his head sheepishly.

His reaction was so blatant and innocent that Silvia, even as the one who had said it, felt herself blushing.

After they spent several minutes simply staring at one another, Silvia changed the subject to break the heavy, stalled atmosphere.

"By the way, when I was little, I could never see anything when I came to the stadium. I used to ask my dad to give me a shoulder ride all the time."

"O-Oh."

"When I was on someone's shoulders, the whole world looked different. I kept begging my father to do it until I got quite a bit older."

She smiled. Then, leaning her weight against Arnie's back, she spoke in a pleading tone.

"...Arnie, will you give me a shoulder ride?"

"W-Wait, really!?"

"Is that a no? I thought since you're so big, you might be able to carry me."

"N-No, I mean, carrying one or two humans would be a breeze... but, well, I'd end up touching your butt!"

"...Pfft. Ahahahaha!!"

Silvia burst into laughter at Arnie's incredibly awkward remark. Arnie stood there blankly, wondering if he had said something strange.

"It's fine, it's fine! A shoulder ride doesn't count as 'touching'! Come on, lift me up!"

"Ugh... alright, here goes."

Arnie carefully lifted Silvia onto his shoulders, trying his best to hold her by her waist and knees.
Suddenly, Silvia's field of vision shot upward. The world transformed.
"Wow... amazing, so amazing!"
"...Sigh, um, well..."
Because Arnie was hugging his own head, Silvia's chest pressed against the back of his head, making him feel restless. A few seconds later, he realized her skirt was a bit short; panicking that he might accidentally flash her underwear to the entire stadium, he began shifting his body in small, frantic movements.
The movement looked almost like he was swaying her to soothe her, and Silvia began squealing with laughter like a child.

After continuing like that for a while, Silvia suddenly began patting Arnie's head.

As Arnie waited to see what she was doing, a curious voice drifted down from above his head.

"...Arnie, your horn... it's not growing on the left side, is it? Were you always like this?"

"No. It happened a little while ago."

It wasn't actually that long ago. It had only been a few years, but Arnie decided to act a bit grand. Using the word "a while ago" made him feel a little more important, as if he were standing on equal footing with his elders.

"……"

Since it seemed she was waiting for him to continue, Arnie cleared his throat.
He felt that, truth be told, this wasn't really something he should be telling just anyone, but he felt he could share it with Silvia, since she had told him she liked him. Besides, it would help fill the silence.

"…I was born in an ogre colony near the coast close to the border of Afilm. The Dragon Palace was nearby."

"Uh-huh, I see."

"I... well, I once helped a dragon there. They were so grateful that they gave me a dragon treasure as a token of thanks."

"That's amazing!"

Dragons. The strongest and most solitary of all races. They avoided contact with other races, forming a hidden village known as the Dragon Palace, where they lived in isolation. Their treasures possessed astronomical value, making them the envy of every adventurer.

"I brought it back to the colony, but… they decided I had stolen it from the dragons, and they were incredibly angry with me."

"What...?"

"As punishment, they pulled out this horn of mine. It hurt so much I thought I would die."

It had been a coincidence that Arnie helped the dragon. While he was hunting in the mountains, he had come across a young member of the dragon race collapsed with a fever.

Dragons are a different species from wyverns. There is an intelligence gap between them similar to that between apes and humans, and the dragon race typically lives in human-like forms. If they lived in their true forms, the Dragon Palace would not be large enough to house them, and it would no longer be a hidden village.
Seeing the young dragon, Arnie felt the natural awe one feels toward a legendary creature, but since he was still just a child himself, he was brave enough to carry him all the way to the Dragon Palace.
Grateful for this kindness, the dragon offered him a treasure: a beautiful orb known as a Dragon Jewel—a supreme gem that never clouded, never scratched, and never broke.
The adults in the colony were speechless when Arnie returned with it. They concluded it was impossible for a dragon to give something so valuable to a mere child; they decided he must have snuck into the Dragon Palace and taken it as a prank.
Then, fearing retaliation on their own behalf, they decided to force him to perform an act of atonement.
They suppressed Arnie as he wailed that he wasn't lying, and as punishment, they tore out his horn. They then ordered him to climb the mountain and apologize to the dragon. Even the young Arnie could feel, instinctively, that the adults intended for this to be a sacrifice.

"The wound where my horn was pulled out hurt like death, and it was a terrible night with the rain pouring down. I stumbled into the Dragon Palace and apologized just like I was told… and then, the dragon person apologized to me through tears. They said they had done something terrible and begged for my forgiveness. Even though those people had only given me a treasure. But seeing them cry like that when they saw my wound… it made me so happy."

"…Arnie, you..."

"But as a sacrifice, I could never go back. So, I had the dragon person treat my wound, and then I went to Queca to become a soldier. …Back in my hometown, I'm probably presumed dead. Hahaha."

"……"

"That’s why, honestly, I like people of other races much more than ogres. When people from other races are kind to me, it makes me so happy. It makes me feel like I deserve to be alive. A-um, but I never expected someone as beautiful as you, Silvia-san, to tell me you like me. I's just... I'm a bit carried away today, hahaha."

"…I am so sorry!!"

"Haha… huh?"

Arnie was startled by the sudden apology. He knew the story had turned heavy, but he hadn't expected her to burst into apologies so abruptly.
However, Silvia simply reached out, stroked Arnie's broken right horn with her finger, and then clung to his large head, breaking into violent sobs.

"Sob… I’m… I’m so sorry… because you’re so big, I just… I fell in love with you somewhat aimlessly, and I said things like 'I like you'… uugh, I'm sorry… even though your horn is broken, even though it broke because of me, even though it was your last remaining horn..."

"I-it's okay. The root is still there, so the right side will grow back."

"But, but... uuuugh... I... you... I didn't realize... I didn't know how much you... how much I loved you... I'm sorry... I'll make sure... I'll truly... love you... Arnie-kun, I promise, I'll love you properly next time..."

"C-calm down, please calm down. I-I don't need you to do it 'properly' or anything like that. Just you liking me is enough to make me happy."

"Arnie-kuuuun! Waaaaaaaahhhh!!"

Overcome with emotion, Silvia began to wail uncontrollably, ignoring all logic.
Arnie was troubled. Truly troubled.
Silvia continued to sniffle and sob like that until nightfall.

---

"…I'm sorry. I felt so bad for you, Arnie-kun, that I just lost control of myself."

"Haha… w-well, I'm glad I got to see a cute side of you, Silvia-san."

To be honest, it had been behind her head the whole time, so he hadn't been able to see.

Silvia rubbed her nose several times, then, with a sudden, serious expression, looked up at Arnie.

"S-So, let me say it properly... I, Silvia Macraine, truly love you, Arnie. I've fallen for you."

"Y-Yes."

"...So, um..."

"............"

"............"

Momentum lost. Silvia hung her head, her face flushed deep red, while Arnie, equally beet-red, stood there at a loss.

Just then, out of the corner of Arnie's wide field of vision, he spotted a familiar bovine face.

"!?"

Kelly. And at her feet, Andy.

Andy was sitting cross-legged, pointing his thumb downward in a silent boo. It was incredibly immature.

Kelly was pumping her fists in front of her face, signaling, "Go! Go for it!"

What are those two doing? Arnie wondered, stunned, but after a moment of thought, he understood the meaning of Kelly's "Go!" sign.

That was right. Arnie had to move forward. This was that kind of moment.

"Um,"

At the sound of Arnie's voice, Silvia jerked her head up.

Arnie leaned in, looking her straight in the eyes with earnest intensity.

"I... I love you too, Silvi... I do. ...And, well, I want you to be my girlfriend."

"...Yes!"

Silvia leaned in smoothly, pressing her lovely lips against the ogre's massive ones in a kiss.

The setting sun cut along the mountain ridge, creating a gentle twilight for the lovers.

◇◇◇

"Decurion Smaison."

"Hm? Oh, if it isn't Private Void, the man with a girlfriend."

"Ugh... actually, I have something to consult you about... regarding her."

"Tch. What, you want another custom accessory? I don't have much taste, so I can't keep doing this every time."

"No, well, it is an accessory, but..."

"...Ah, I see. If that's the case, fine. Just wait a moment."

Silvia usually worked the fryer at a deli in a corner of Basson City.

That evening, Arnie showed up without an appointment, which was rare.

"I'm sorry, the sign is already—oh, Arnie."

"Silvia. Um... well... could you, please, take this?"

Suddenly, a small piece of jewelry was thrust toward her.

It was a handmade necklace by Andy, made by coating one of Arnie's horns in varnish, drilling a hole through it, and threading a thin chain through.

"Eh... is this...?"

"Yes. Because... I want the person I love most to be able to hold onto my horn."

"Listen up, punks! ...Dammit. Listen to me. I might be stuck in a place like this right now, but back in my hometown, there's this incredible beauty! She's got huge breasts! And a tiny, snatched waist! There's a girl back home who is madly in love with me! And get this—she's a half-elf!"

"There he goes again. The Decurion's 'imaginary girlfriend' monologue has started."

"Is it time already? Ma'am, could you wrap up the tab?"

"I'm telling you, it's not in my head! I'm seriously telling you, having a girlfriend like Void is just not happening! Listen to me, you idiot! Moron!"

Tonight, as always, various races were sharing drinks in the Crossbow Squad, and all was peaceful.

Ogres are a race with one to three horns on their heads and are generally a giant-like species. While not quite as colossal as the giant tribes said to dwell beyond the western seas, in the Northwestern Plains—including Trot Celesta—they are arguably the strongest in terms of raw physical power.

Their innate size and strength guarantee combat prowess that renders ordinary weapons almost irrelevant. According to the official tactical index of the Celesta army, if a fully armored standard human male and a lightly equipped dwarf are both rated as one, then an unarmed ogre male is equivalent to 2.5. In other words, no matter how heavily armored a human soldier is, engaging even two unarmed ogres is considered a military taboo.

Equip them with proper weaponry, and their combat rating instantly jumps to five—equivalent to a single cavalry charge. The ogres’ boisterous fighting style makes them the stars of any battlefield.

Against such ogre warriors, an ace knight capable of holding his own against even five of them single-handedly is a rare breed indeed—one can only imagine how exceptional such a figure must be.

But enough digression.

The ogres' immense size and, at times, monstrous appearance are generally perceived as grotesque by humans—a sentiment even the ogres themselves acknowledge. Of course, ogres don’t find humans particularly beautiful either. In their eyes, human women are "too slender and weak to inspire confidence," and while "cute, they fail to arouse desire—more like livestock than lovers."

Naturally, ogres have their own aesthetic standards. A different balance of sexual sensibilities. Ogresque women may not be as muscular as the men, but they are undeniably tall, with a species-specific trait: exceptionally flexible genitalia capable of accommodating an ogre’s average 50-centimeter-long member (even shifting internal organs instinctively to make room).

Furthermore, ogre women are generally energetic, and in some regions, matriarchal societies with polyandrous marriages persist. Tall, spirited, and strong enough to take on men—such a woman is considered "beautiful" in ogre culture, the polar opposite of the demure, idealized lady of human society.

Thus, even in Celesta, where interracial marriage is legally recognized, unions between ogres and humans are rare. Despite coexisting in society, they are viewed as almost entirely "different species," unlike humans and elves.

Amidst this, there exists an ogre youth who has overcome numerous hurdles to win a human lover.

Arnie Boyd. A rookie trooper in the Celesta Northern Army’s Crossbow Corps, stationed near Basson, a trading city in northern Celesta, holding the rank of Private.

This is the story of that miraculous couple. Or rather—perhaps "miraculous" is overstating it. But it’s still pretty remarkable.

◇◇◇

In Basson, shared horse-drawn carriages circulate through the city. They don’t go fast and stop frequently to pick up and drop off passengers, but the fares are cheap, and they’re reasonably accommodating. It’s a public service run by retired riding horses taking leisurely strolls.

Silvia McReynolds boarded one of these shared carriages, requesting to be taken to the Great Arena on the opposite side of town.

That day, a magic show was scheduled at the arena.

Here, "magic" doesn’t refer to sleight-of-hand tricks but genuine sorcery. Once a year, researchers from the Capital University’s School of Magic tour Celesta, performing visually entertaining spells to earn research funding.

This annual magic show was Silvia’s favorite event of the year.

“…♪”

“You seem in high spirits, miss.”

The coachman’s words drew a beaming smile from Silvia.

“Yes! I always look forward to the magic show.”

“Oh, that time of year, is it? Well, I suppose I’ll take a gander while I deliver you.”

“You’d regret missing it, old man!”

“Hah hah hah, well, as long as no other passengers need the carriage to the arena.”

Pock-pock, pock-pock. The carriage rumbled along toward the Great Arena at a leisurely pace.

Arnie had shopping duty that day.

Kelly Isaac, my boss and the squad leader, and I were hauling a handcart to Basson together.

"Why do we always get stuck with shopping duty?"

"Shoulda just made some human give it a shot."

Complaining about shopping duty is the same old song and dance.

But there was a reason why we were grumbling.

Arnie (Plain Ogre, 6'7") and Kelly (Bull Ogre, 10'2") couldn't fit in a regular carriage.

Well, technically, the troop transport carriages could accommodate ogres, but we couldn’t sit on the driver’s bench.

So when it was our turn, we had to use this handcart instead. Even for the strongest of ogre-kind, doing a job that horses could handle was pretty damn frustrating.

"Besides, the ceiling in that Basson general store is ridiculously low."

"At your height, you're practically crawling on all fours in there."

"I swear, before you came along, I used to place orders there and some brat pointed at me yelling, 'Look, a cow's shopping!' to their friends!"

"…Huh."

Bull Ogres are a small ethnic group clustered near the Desert Great Labyrinth in Central Celesta, generally having bovine features. Kelly getting called "cow" was nothing new, so Arnie didn’t know how to react.

Kelly didn’t seem particularly bothered either; he just sighed.

"When they say that, I go full muscle pose and yell, 'I'm an OGRE, not a cow!'"

"…Muscle pose, huh?"

"It's hilarious. Try it next time some kid tries to mess with you."

Kelly Isaac. Surprisingly, he likes kids.

"But the last time, I was so hunched over I couldn’t even strike a pose. They called me a cow, and I couldn’t deny it, and it pissed me off!"

"…If only they’d build things in our size range…"

"Yeah, right."

Due to architectural limitations (castles and military facilities aside), that wasn’t exactly happening with civilian housing.

The two of us groaned as we dragged the handcart down the main street, finally stopping in front of our usual general store.

Basson was currently one of the fastest-growing cities in Celesta.

"Fast growth" meant a lot of construction work, and plenty of ogre laborers. A pair of ogres wasn’t particularly unusual.

"Alright, Boyd. You take the order."

"Me?"

"I’ll never forget that humiliation."

"…Huh."

Well, Arnie could squeeze in if he bent over a bit. He took the reins and headed into the store.

That’s when it happened.

BOOM!!

"Uwaaaah!?"

"W-What was that!?"

A deafening roar, like thunder itself, echoed across the azure sky. The ground trembled beneath our feet.

Arnie and Kelly jumped.

Not just the two of them were surprised—people from all over town peeked out, eyes darting around.

Then, a carriage sped past at breakneck speed, rounding the corner right in front of them.

"Hyaaah!!"

An old man tumbled off the driver’s seat as it went by.

"W-what happened? What was that!?"

"M-my horse got spooked and won’t listen anymore… ickk!"

"Grandpa!?"

Kelly helped him up (or rather, picked him up), but the old man was in obvious agony. He seemed to have broken his arm.

"Damn it, we need a doctor…"

"W-wait a minute! There’s still someone in that carriage! A girl!"

"What?!"

The carriage was careening out of control, barely staying upright.

If that kept up, who knew what would happen? Kelly gritted her teeth.

"Damn it."

"Commander! We’ve got to do something about that!"

Arnie clapped Kelly on the shoulder.

Kelly snapped to attention and looked at him.

"...You think we can?"

"We’re the strongest Celesta soldiers, after all."

"I said it."

Arnie was young and full of dreams for the military—the kind of things that seemed obvious but were actually hard, like being the first to help civilians in danger.

After years in service, the heart that made swinging a sword worthwhile sometimes faded into the background.

Kelly grinned. An ox ogre’s face looked terrifying when smiling, but Arnie found that grin more reassuring than anything else.

"Let’s go!! Follow me, Void!"

"Uss!"

The two ogres took off running. The citizens of Basson gasped at the sheer force of their sprinting giants.

An ogre’s massive size was an advantage even while moving.

A trained ogre’s run was fast in proportion to its enormous lower body. They might not catch a bare horse, but they could manage a heavy carriage like that.

But those dozen seconds before deciding had made a difference—they still couldn’t quite close the gap after running several hundred meters.

"Damn it… Void, at this rate, we’ll reach Main Street!"

"Uss!"

"It’s now or never—jump!"

"...Huh?"

Arnie couldn’t follow Kelly’s plan at first. Of course not. No matter how well-maintained this road was, jumping wouldn’t make him go any faster.

But Kelly was a First Sergeant, and he had a reputation for sudden tactical brilliance. Sure, he looked like an ox, but his head wasn’t as dim-witted as his face suggested.

"I’ll chuck you forward, then you gotta yank those passengers outta the carriage!"

"…Huh? Wha—!?"

Even so, it was a crazy plan.

But Arnie believed in Kelly’s competence as a First Sergeant. If he said they could do it, they could.

"…Alright, I’m game!"

"Oooh—UUUUUHHHHHAAAH!!"

Instant decision. Kelly grabbed Arnie’s arm and bulged out every muscle in his body. This hulking mass seemed to grow even larger with the sheer rate of expansion.

Then, using that power, he launched Arnie forward as hard as he could.

"Ugh… oh, ohhhhhh!!"

Arnie spun through the air. Seven meters above Basson’s Main Street, tracing a perfect parabola—

"Owgh!"

Thud. He slammed onto the carriage roof—or rather, crashed through it and embedded himself in the wood.

"Eek!"

Silvia McReynolds, who was inside, went rigid with terror. The carriage had been careening out of control when an ogre suddenly burst through the roof—it was terrifying.

But Arnie shook his head and pushed himself up.

The end of Main Street was coming into view, where a tavern stood. If the horses kept running at full speed, they’d inevitably crash into it, unable to turn.

It was right there.

Arnie, half-stuck in the carriage, felt panic rise.

"Ugh, aaaaaah!!"

Thoughts vanished. Instinctively, he reached out and grabbed something soft—

THWACK!!

A moment later, the horses tried to turn, but the carriage couldn’t follow. As expected, it tilted and slammed into the wall.

◇◇◇

Arnie woke up two days later.

"…Void! Void’s awake!"

In the fluffy blankets of the town clinic, Arnie shifted slightly. His joints creaked, but all five limbs seemed intact.

Seeing him like that, First Sergeant Diene breathed a sigh of relief.

Hearing Diene’s voice, Silvia McReynolds was the first to rush into the room and throw herself at Arnie.

"You’re okay…!!"

The girl he’d saved.

Arnie’s last act had been to protect Silvia unharmed.

Amidst the collision with the wall and the crushing of the carriage, Arnie’s massive hand had managed to protect Sylvia.

When Sylvia awoke, the first thing she saw was Arnie, gently holding her as he himself had half-destroyed the mortar wall in her defense.

And then…

“…Um. I’ll take care of Mr. Void from now on!”

“No, no, that’s alright.”

“You’re my lifesaver, so please let me!”

“…U-uh, well…”

Overwhelmed by her insistence, he ended up having Sylvia help him with everything—meals, even his trips to the privy—for the next ten days.

Then, a month passed.

“…Isaac, squad leader. Could we maybe switch tomorrow’s cleaning duty?”

“Oh? What’s this, Void? You and that human girl going on a date or something?”

“…I’d prefer you not be so surprised. It seems like it.”

“…Wh-what?!?”

Kelly stood up with a thunk, shouting. The other soldiers gathered around, asking what was going on.

“What’s the matter? Explain yourself, Isaac.”

“Y-yes, Symon. This idiot here says he’s going on a date with a human girl.”

“No way.”

“Yeah, it’s true.”

“What’s the deal, Void!”

“N-no, I mean, I have no idea either.”

The next day, Arnie stood at their meeting spot in full regalia: Kelly’s old sea-beast leather jacket, the belt and armlets Andy had crafted, a shirt freshly cleaned by Diane, and a pair of cool shoes Anzeros had picked out.

“…………”

He wondered if he was being teased. The parchment was too good for mockery, and the letter itself overflowed with sincerity.

──Arnie-kun. A date invitation.
Let’s go to the arena together this Sunday afternoon.
I’ll be waiting in front of that tavern, believing you’ll come.
Sincerely,
Sylvia

The tavern wall was still unrepaired. Painful memories resurfaced.

Arnie’s single horn had snapped cleanly in half from the impact.
“…I wonder if my horn is still there.”

On a whim, he approached the collapsed wall. Carefully scanning the ground, he spotted what he was looking for—half-buried in the dirt.

“…Haha, found it.”

“What’s that?”

"U-uh, Sylvia!?"

"Hello, Arnie."

Sylvia stood close, peering over Arnie’s shoulder. He was so nervous he barely noticed her there.

"Uh… well…"

"Yeah. It's okay if you don't want to say it. More importantly… huh?"

"Y-yeah! I get it!"

She turned her palm up and offered her hand. Arnie gently placed his on top, at the base of her fingers.

"...A-really? A date with me... are you serious?"

"Did you think I was kidding?"

"...But I'm an Ogre, after all…"

Ever since Sylvia realized Arnie was only a year younger than her, she’d suddenly started acting like an older sister.
For the record: Arnie’s eighteen. Sylvia’s nineteen.
Even for someone young, an Ogre’s face is intimidating and scary. Sylvia, leaning against him playfully or sometimes almost protectively, was a striking mismatch.

"Hehe… you know, I kinda like your hands, Arnie."

"?!"

"...I don’t know why. But when you grabbed me tight back then, wrapped me up, it gave me this little kun feeling. It was so warm."

"Huh."

"Is that bad?"

"...Huh?"

"Why I like you."

"Eh?! What?!"

Arnie flustered at her casual "I like you." Sylvia grinned, clearly amused by his innocent reaction, and squeezed his index finger—about the size of a child’s arm.

"Once you start liking someone, it’s weird, isn’t it? Like, no matter what they do, they just seem cute."

"U-uh… c-cute?"

"Mmm~"

Arnie had never been called cute before, so he made an odd face. Sylvia pulled on his finger and happily led him toward the arena.

The arena wasn’t hosting any events that day.

On days like this, it was open to the public—athletes practicing, people playing ball games—it was a place for citizens to relax. Since there were no spectators, the stands they entered were nearly empty.

"Turns out, it was all because of that magic show."

"?!"

"That thud sound. The one that scared the horse."

"Oh… I see."

The Capital University’s Magic Research Department only studies magic; they don’t have any particularly skilled practitioners.
Even if something goes wrong, the magical force is small, and the damage is far less than alchemy experiments—so there’s even a sense that some failures are tolerated like minor disasters.
"And it almost killed someone! That’s just not cool."

"Yeah. Seriously. If Arnie had died, I might've hated magic shows forever."

"...We're not gonna die that easily, you know? You were the one who almost died, Silvia."

"Yeah... but, you know, I'm a little grateful. If that hadn't happened, I never would've met Arnie."

"............"

Arnie's face turned bright red. He hunched his large frame and scratched his head.

His overly obvious and innocent reaction made Silvia blush too.

They spent the next few minutes staring at each other in awkward silence, so Silvia changed the subject to break the tension.

"By the way, when I was little, I couldn't see anything when I came to the arena. My dad always carried me on his shoulders."

"H-huh."

"When my dad carried me, the whole world looked different. I begged him for it until I was pretty big."

She smiled and leaned back against Arnie's shoulder in a pleading voice.

"...Arnie, can you carry me on your shoulders?"

"R-really!?"

"No? I thought if you were as big as Arnie, you could probably carry someone like me."

"N-no, well, carrying a couple of humans is easy... but, uh, I'd be touching your butt, wouldn't I?"

"...Pfft. Ahahahahaha!!"

Silvia burst out laughing at Arnie's ridiculously awkward words. Arnie looked puzzled, wondering if he'd said something strange.

"It's okay, it's okay! Shoulder rides are on the house! Come on, let me carry you!"

"O-okay... here I go."

Arnie carefully lifted Silvia onto his shoulders, trying to support her waist and knees as much as possible.
Silvia's view instantly rose. The world changed.
"Wow... amazing, amazing!"
"...Uh, well..."
Arnie felt like his head was being squeezed, and his chest bumped against her nape, making him feel uneasy. After a few seconds, he noticed that Silvia's skirt was a bit short, and he panicked, realizing he'd be flashing her underwear to the whole arena if he didn't do something. He frantically shifted his body slightly.
His movements made it look like he was trying to calm Silvia down, and she giggled like a child.

They did that for a while until Silvia suddenly started patting Arnie's head.

Arnie waited, wondering what she was doing, when he heard a curious voice from above.

"...Arnie, your horn... on the left... it's not there. Was it always like that?"

"No. I used to have one."

Not that long ago, though. It had only been a few years, but Arnie decided to brag a little. Using the word "used to" made him feel older and a bit more important.

"............"

She seemed to be waiting for him to continue, so Arnie cleared his throat.

"It's not really something I talk about much, but... I'm from an ogre colony near the border with Affilum. There was a dragon palace nearby."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I once saved a dragon all by myself, right there. He was super grateful and gave me one of his treasure as thanks."

"That's amazing!"

Dragons. The strongest and most solitary of all races. They have no dealings with other species, forming hidden settlements called Dragon Palaces where they live in isolation.

Their treasures are astronomically valuable, the object of every adventurer’s desire.

"I brought it back to the colony… but they decided I must’ve stolen a dragon’s treasure and got super mad at me."

"Huh…?"

"As punishment, they pulled out one of my horns. It hurt like hell."

Arnie had helped the dragon purely by chance.
While hunting in the mountains, Arnie came across a young dragon who had collapsed from fever.

Dragons are a different species from flying dragons. They have an intelligence gap comparable to that between monkeys and humans, and dragonkind usually live in humanoid form. If they lived in their true form, even the vast Dragon Palaces wouldn’t be enough, and their settlements wouldn’t remain hidden.

Seeing the young dragon in such a state, Arnie, despite his awe of the legendary creatures, was still just a child himself, so he bravely carried him on his back all the way to the Dragon Palace.

Grateful for his kindness, the dragon offered him one of his treasures. A beautiful dragon’s jewel, an unblemished and indestructible gemstone of the highest quality.

The adults were speechless when Arnie returned with it.

There was no way a dragon would give such a valuable item to a child. They concluded he must have sneaked into the Dragon Palace and taken it as a prank.

And, arbitrarily fearing retribution and arbitrarily assigning penance,

they pinned their ears back, held down Arnie as he screamed that he hadn’t lied, and pulled out one of his horns as punishment. Then they ordered him to climb the mountain and apologize to the dragon. Even young Arnie could feel that the adults intended him as a sacrifice.

"The wound from the pulled-out horn was agonizing, and it started raining, so it was a terrible night. I staggered into the Dragon Palace and apologized like I was told… then the dragon person apologized to me and cried. Said they’d done something terrible and asked for forgiveness. They were the ones who gave me the treasure, but seeing my wound made them cry so much, which made me really happy."

"...Arnie, you..."

"But as a sacrifice, I couldn’t go back. So I just had the dragon person treat my wound, and then I left Quieca to become a soldier… In my hometown, they probably think I’m dead. Hahaha."

"............"

"So, honestly, I like other races more than ogres. When people from other races are nice to me, it makes me so happy. It makes me feel like I’m allowed to live. Ah, um, but I never thought someone as beautiful as Sylvia would say they liked me, so I’m just flustered today, hahaha."

"...I'm sorry!!"

"Haha...huh?"

Suddenly being apologized to from above his head startled Arnie. He knew the conversation had gotten emotional, but he hadn’t expected an apology.

But Sylvia simply stroked his broken right horn with her finger, then clung to Arnie’s large head and burst into tears.

"Ugh, s-sorry… I, I, I just kind of fell for you because you’re so big, and I said I liked you… ugh, sorry… even though you broke your horn, it was my fault it broke, even though it was your last horn."

"I-it’s okay, the root’s still there, so the right one will grow back."

"But, but oh… ugh… I, I don’t know how to handle this… I don’t understand how much I like you, how heavy it is… I’m sorry, I’ll learn to like you properly… Arnie, I’ll like you properly again…"

"C-calm down, calm down. I, I don’t need you to like me properly, I’m just happy Sylvia likes me."

"Arnieeeeee! Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh!!"

Sylvia was overcome with emotion and began sobbing uncontrollably.

Arnie was troubled. Very troubled.

Sylvia continued to sniffle and cry until sunset.

"...Sorry, Arnie, I got a little lost because I felt sorry for you."

"Haha… well, I guess it’s good I got to see Sylvia’s cute side."

She’d been right behind me the whole time, so I hadn’t seen her.

Sylvia rubbed her nose vigorously, then frowned and looked up at Arnie with a serious expression.

“Well, then, let’s start again… I, Sylvia McReynolds, really do like you, Arnie.”

“Y-yes.”

“…So, um…”

“…………”

“…………”

A stall. Sylvia flushed and lowered her gaze, and Arnie’s face burned as he stared blankly ahead.

Then, in the corner of Arnie’s wide field of vision, he saw a familiar bull-like face.
“!?!”

Kelly. And at his feet, Andy.

Andy was sitting with his legs crossed, thumb pointed down in a silent boos gesture—so childish.

Kelly clenched his fists and pumped them up and down in front of his face, signaling, “Go! Just go!”

What are those guys even doing? Arnie stared in bewilderment for a moment before finally grasping the meaning behind Kelly’s “go!” signal.

That’s right. Arnie had to move forward. This was that kind of scene.

“Um…”

Sylvia snapped her head up at Arnie’s voice.

Arnie crouched down, locked eyes with her earnestly, and said,
“I… I really like you too, Sylvia… I mean, I want to be your boyfriend.”

“…Yes!”

Sylvia leaned in smoothly, pressing the delicate lips of a maiden against the massive, ogre-like lips of an Orc.

The setting sun sliced across the mountain ridgeline, casting a gentle shadow over the lovers.

◇◇◇

“Smyth, Squad Leader.”

“Huh? Oh, it’s you, the boy-dwarf with a girlfriend.”

“U-um… I wanted to ask about her.”

“Tch. What is it this time? You want another custom accessory? My sense of style isn’t great, so I can’t just whip those up every other day.”

“Well, it’s kind of an accessory…”

“…Oh, is that so? Alright then, wait here a sec.”

Sylvia usually worked at a corner deli in Basson City, frying up snacks.

That night, Arnie showed up unannounced—something rare for him.

“Sorry, the sign’s already out… Oh, Arnie.”

“Sylvia. Uh… could you, like, take this?”

Suddenly, Sylvia was presented with a small accessory.

It was a necklace Andy had made himself—Arnie’s horns were lacquered and drilled, then strung on a thin chain.

"Uh… this is…"

"Yeah. I… I want my horns to be held by someone I love."

"Ugh, damn it! Listen up, you guys. Right now, I’m stuck in some backwater like this, but back home, there’s a hottie—big boobs, a tight waist, and she’s totally in love with me! And get this, she’s even a half-elf!"

"Ah, here we go again. Smaysun Tenth Captain’s inner monologue about his imaginary girlfriend is back."

"Is that all you got? Hey, Camisaaan, time to settle the bill."

"I said it’s not in my head! She’s actually Void’s girlfriend, okay?! You morons, listen up, you idiots!"

The Crossbow Squad was once again a peaceful gathering of various races sharing drinks.

The ogre race possesses one to three horns atop their heads and is characterized by its overall massive stature.
While not as colossal as the giants said to dwell beyond the western seas, in the Northwestern Plains—including Trot Celesta—they are undoubtedly among the strongest races in terms of raw physical power.

Their innate bulk and strength guarantee combat prowess that renders half-hearted weaponry irrelevant. According to the official tactical metrics of the Celesta Army, if a fully armored standard human male or a lightly equipped dwarf soldier is rated as 1, then an unarmed ogre male equates to 2.5.

In other words, no matter how heavily armed a regular human soldier may be, it is tactically unsound for them to challenge a bare-knuckled ogre with fewer than two comrades. When properly equipped, however, these creatures instantly rise to a combat rating of 5—one individual matching the threat level of a single charging cavalryman. The ogres' bold and flamboyant battlefield maneuvers make them the stars of any engagement.

Given this context, it is no exaggeration to say that an Ace Knight, required to hold his own against five regular ogre soldiers alone, is an exceedingly rare phenomenon.

Enough digression.

It is universally acknowledged—even by ogres themselves—that the ogres' massive frames and occasionally monstrous appearances tend to appear grotesque in human eyes.
That said, ogres do not consider humans beautiful either. In their view, human women are "too slender and weak to be reassuring," and while "cute," they fail to arouse passion; one can only feel a love akin to that for livestock.

Naturally, the ogre race possesses its own aesthetic standards—a balanced sexual sensibility. While ogre females are not as muscular as males, their tall stature is undeniable. As a racial trait, they possess particularly flexible genitalia and robust bodies capable of containing an ogre penis averaging nearly 50 centimeters in length (even requiring instinctive internal organ displacement).

Furthermore, ogre women are generally energetic; some regions even maintain matrilineal societies where polyandry persists. A tall, spirited woman who can embrace men embodies the ogre ideal of a "good woman"—the antithesis of the conventional lady admired in current human society.

Consequently, despite inter-racial marriage being legally recognized in Celesta, unions between ogres and humans rarely materialize. Even when living together, they are perceived not as partners but as something akin to completely distinct "alien species," unlike the relationship between humans and elves.

Amidst this backdrop stands a young ogre who has cleared numerous hurdles to become a human lover.
His name is Arnie Boyd. A rookie member of the Crossbow Squad within the Northern Celesta Army stationed near Basson, a trading city in northern Celesta, he holds the rank of Corporal.

This is the tale of such an improbable couple.
Well, perhaps I'm overstating it. It's not quite a miracle—but it is certainly remarkable.

◇◇◇

In Basson, shared horse-drawn carriages circulate through the town at a leisurely pace, frequently stopping to let passengers board or alight. Though affordable and accommodating with minor fare adjustments, these vehicles serve more as public works—a genteel stroll for retired riding horses—rather than true mounts.

Silvia MacLean boarded one such carriage, requesting that her driver take her to the grand arena on the opposite side of town. That day was scheduled for a magic show.
Here, "magic" does not refer to sleight of hand but to genuine sorcery. Researchers from the Department of Magic Studies at the Capital University travel across all of Celesta once a year, performing visually delightful spells to generate research funds.

This annual magic show has become Silvia's greatest joy of the year.

"……♪"

"My dear, you seem in high spirits," remarked the elderly driver.

Silvia returned with a radiant smile.

"Yes! I look forward to the magic show every year."

"Oh, is that so? Well, since I'm delivering you anyway, I might as well watch too."

"You'd be missing out if you didn't, old man!"

"Hah hah hah. Well, as long as there aren't other passengers heading to the arena..."

Clap-clap, clop-clop-clop.
The carriage drifted lazily toward the arena.

Meanwhile, Earnie was on duty for grocery shopping that day.

Kelly Isaac, the squad leader, and I had come to Basson together, pulling a handcart.

"Why do we have to be on duty for shopping?"

"If it were just humans doing it..."

The complaints about being assigned as shoppers are always the same.
But there was a reason behind their grumbling this time.

Earnie (Plain Ogre, 277 cm tall) and Kelly (Cow Ogre, 310 cm tall) couldn't fit into a carriage.
Well, actually, troop transport carriages were designed to accommodate ogres, so they could ride inside—but there was no room for them on the driver's seat.

That meant whenever it was their turn, they had to pull a handcart instead of riding in a carriage. Even though ogres pride themselves on their strength, having horses do such simple work while they haul things by hand was deeply frustrating for them.

"Besides, the general store in Basson has ceilings so low it's unbearable."

"At our height, we're basically crawling on all fours anyway."

"You know, before you even entered that place, I got pointed at by some local kid who shouted, 'Look! The cow lady's shopping!' and it was humiliating enough."

"...Yeah."

Cow ogres are a minority tribe living near the Great Desert Labyrinth in central Celesta, known for their distinctly bovine features. Kelly being called "cow" was nothing new, so Earnie struggled to respond.

Kelly didn't seem angry about it either; he just let out a long sigh.

"If someone calls me that, I'll just flex and say, 'I'm not a cow—I'm an ogre!' and see how they react."

"...Flexing? Really?"

"It's hilarious! Next time some kid scares you, try it yourself."

Kelly Isaac was surprisingly fond of children.

"Still, at the time we were practically crawling on all fours, so I couldn't even strike a pose. Even if someone called me a cow, I couldn't deny it, and it made me furious."

"...If only shops were built to our size..."

"That would be great."

Unfortunately, due to limitations in construction technology (aside from castles and military facilities), residential buildings rarely accommodated such large dimensions.

The two of them rolled along the main street with their handcart until they reached their usual general store.
Basson was currently one of the fastest-growing cities in Celesta.

Rapid development meant lots of construction work, which also brought many ogre construction workers to the area. So having two ogres together didn't make them stand out at all.

"Well then, Boyd. You go ahead and place the order."

"Me?"

"I won't forget that humiliation anytime soon."

"...Yeah."

Well, Earnie could probably squeeze through if he bent down a bit. He accepted the task and stepped into the store.

That's when it happened.

THUD!

"Whoa—!?"

"W-What was that?! What's going on?!"

A deafening roar echoed across the sky, louder than thunder itself, shaking the very ground beneath them.

Ernie and Kelly leaped into the air.
It wasn't just them who were startled; residents from all over the town poked their heads out, darting their eyes around nervously.

Amidst the commotion, a carriage thundered past the corner ahead at breakneck speed.

"Yaaaah!!"

From the driver's seat of that carriage, an old man tumbled off as it turned the corner.

"W-what happened! What in the world is going on!?"

"T-the horse got spooked and won't listen to me anymore... Daaaaa!!"

"Old man!?"

As Kelly helped him up (more like picked him up), the elderly man cried out in agony, his arm clearly broken.

"Damn it, I need a doctor..."

"W-wait a minute! There are still passengers on that carriage! A girl!"

"What do you mean!?"

Indeed, the carriage was careening wildly, as if about to flip over.

At this rate, no one could predict what would ultimately happen. Kelly gritted her teeth.

"Damn it."

"Sergeant! Let's do something about that!"

Ernie tapped Kelly on the shoulder.

Kelly blinked and looked at Ernie.

"...Do you think we can?"

"We're the strongest Celesta Army, after all."

"I said so."

Ernie was young and dreamed of serving in the military.
It was a seemingly obvious yet difficult truth: soldiers are those who rush to save citizens in crisis first.
Having served for so long, he had almost forgotten that heart, too busy wielding his sword to notice it slipping away.

Kelly smiled. Though the face of an ox-ogre can look terrifying when smiling, Ernie felt nothing but reassurance at her expression.

"Let's go!! Follow me, Void!"

"Yessir!!"

The two ogres sprinted forward. The citizens of Basson held their breath, awestruck by the sheer power of the giants' full-speed charge.

An ogre's massive frame even serves as an advantage while moving.

A trained ogre's sprint is incredibly fast, proportional to its huge lower body. While it couldn't catch up to a bare horse, it could at least keep pace with something as heavy as a carriage.

However, the dozen or so seconds it took to make their decision had cost them dearly; they still couldn't close the gap. After running hundreds of meters, they hadn't yet reached within arm's length of the fleeing carriage.

"Damn it... Void, if we keep going like this, we'll lose sight of Main Street!"

"Yessir!"

"All or nothing, you fly!"

"...Huh?"

Kelly's words left Earnie momentarily at a loss.
Of course they did. There was no way jumping down such a perfectly paved road would make him any faster.
Still, Kelly, as the seasoned captain of ten, had an established reputation for flashes of tactical brilliance in critical moments. He might look like an ox, but his mind wasn't as dull as his appearance suggested.

"I'm gonna throw you so hard that you'll rescue the passengers from the carriage!"

"...Eh? Eh?!?"

Even so, it was quite a reckless plan.

Yet Earnie knew only too well that Kelly was an outstanding captain; if he said something could be done, it would be done.

"...Understood! I'll do it!"

"Say wha—AAAAAAAAAAH!!"

Decisive action. Seizing Earnie's arm, Kelly bulged every muscle in his massive frame, swelling even more than already imposing.

With that raw power, he hurled Earnie forward with all his might.

"Gaaahhh!!"
Spinning end over end, Earnie soared through the air above Basson's main thoroughfare at seven meters high, tracing a perfect parabola before—

"Gaaaaaahh!"
He slammed onto the carriage roof—or rather, blew it off and sank deep into its structure.

"Hiiiii!!"
Silvia MacLean, seated inside, froze in terror. The carriage was already careening wildly; suddenly, an ogre burst through the roof and crashed down upon them. It was terrifying.

But Earnie shook his head and rose to his feet.
At the end of the main street stood a tavern. If the horses kept charging at full speed, they'd soon fail to turn and crash into it—it was almost inevitable.
It was right before him now.
With part of his body protruding from the carriage, Earnie felt panic rising.

"Gaaahhh!!"
There was no time for thought. Instinctively, he reached out—grasping something soft,

THWACK!!

A moment later, as the horses attempted to turn, the carriage couldn't keep up and tipped over just as predicted, slamming violently against the wall.

◇◇◇

Two days later, Earnie woke up.
"...Boyd! Boyd's awake!"
Wrapped in fluffy blankets at the town clinic, Earnie shifted slightly. His body creaked in various places, but he seemed to have all five limbs intact.
Seeing him like this, Captain Diane let out a relieved sigh.
Thrilled that someone had been worried about him, Earnie suddenly burst into tears and murmured, "I'm sorry."

Hearing her voice, Silvia MacLean—the girl he'd saved—rushed into the room first and threw herself at him.
"Phew...!!"

Earnie's final act had been to protect Silvia unharmed.

Amidst the collision with the wall and the crushing weight of the carriage, Earnie's massive hand had shielded Sylvia completely.

The first thing Sylvia saw upon waking was Earnie—his form half-collapsed against the mortar wall yet still gently holding her, protecting her.

And then...

"……Um! I'll take care of Void-san from now on!"

"No, no need. It's my fault."

"You saved my life! Let me do it!!"

"……U-uh..."

Overwhelmed, Sylvia ended up assisting him with everything from meals to bathroom needs for about ten days afterward.

Then came a month later.

"……Isaac, could we swap tomorrow's cleaning duty with another day?"

"Oh, what's up, Void? Going on a date with that human girl again?"

"……Please don't be surprised. It seems like it."

"…………WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?"

Kelly stood up shouting as the other squad members gathered around. "What's going on? Explain yourself, Isaac!"

"Oh, hey, Smyson. Seems this idiot is going on a date with a human girl."

"For real?"

"For sure."

"What do you mean, Void!"

"I-I don't know! Honestly, I have no idea either!"

The next day.
Dressed in Kelly's old sea-beast leather jacket, accessories like the belt and bracers crafted by Andy, a clean shirt thoroughly laundered by Diane, and stylish boots designed by Anzeros, Earnie arrived for his meeting with Sylvia.
"…………"
He wondered if he might be getting teased.
Yet, the high-quality parchment suitable only for mockery was too expensive, and the letter written upon it overflowed with sincerity.

──Dear Earnie-san,
I'd like to invite you on a date.
Let's meet at the arena together from noon this Sunday.
Believing you'll come, I'll be waiting in front of that tavern.
Sylvia

The tavern's walls were still unrepaired; painful memories resurfaced.

Earnie's single horn had snapped halfway through due to the impact of the collision.

"……I wonder if my horn is gone."

Suddenly thinking this, he approached the collapsed wall. As he carefully examined the rubble and ground, he spotted his target half-buried among the debris.

"……Haha, there it is."

"What is it?"

"U-uh, w-wah, Miss Sylvia!?"

"Hello, Earnie-kun!"

Sylvia stood before Earnie, peering down at him. Overwhelmed by nervousness and desperately trying to mask it, Earnie hadn't noticed a thing.

"Oh, um..."

"Yeah. If you don't want to say anything, that's fine. But... hey?"

"Y-yes! I understand!"

She extended her hand toward his chest. Earnie gently took it, resting his palm over the base of her fingers.

"...D-dating me... are you serious?"

"Did you think I was lying?"

"...But I'm an Ogre, after all."

Ever since Sylvia realized she was a year older than Earnie, she'd suddenly started acting like an older sister.
By the way, Earnie is 18, and Sylvia is 19.
Even though they're young, an Ogre's face can be intimidating and scary. Yet, as if teasing him one moment and embracing him the next, Sylvia's presence created such a striking mismatch with Earnie that it felt almost comical.

"Heheh... I just really like your hands, Earnie-kun."

"?"

"...I don't know why. When you squeezed me tightly back then, wrapped around me, my heart skipped a beat. It felt so warm."

"Haa..."

"So that's not okay?"

"...Eh?"

"The reason I fell for you."

"E-eh?!?"

When she casually said she liked him, Earnie was flustered beyond words. Sylvia smiled with evident delight at his innocent reaction and firmly grasped his index finger, which was barely as thick as a child's forearm.

"Once you fall in love, it's strange, isn't it? No matter what you do, I can't help but find you adorable."

"...A-adorable?"

Having never been called "adorable" before, Earnie wore an expression he couldn't quite interpret. Sylvia gently pulled his hand and led him happily toward the arena.

The arena was empty that day—no events were scheduled. On days like this, it remained open to the public, serving as a place for citizens to enjoy track and field or ball games. There weren't many spectators eager to watch such an uneventful scene, so the stands they entered were nearly deserted.

"Back then, it was because of that magic show."

"?"

"That loud boom sound—the horses got spooked by it."

"Oh... I see."

The Capital University Department of Magic Research focused solely on studying magic; it wasn't staffed with exceptionally powerful practitioners. Even when things went wrong, the magical forces involved were relatively weak compared to alchemy, where failures could be far more destructive. As a result, minor mishaps were often tolerated as if they were inevitable disasters.

"That's why someone almost died—it was unbearable."

"Yeah, absolutely. If Ernie had died, I might have hated magic shows for the rest of my life."

"……We're not gonna die anytime soon, Sylvia. You were the one who was supposed to die back there."

"Yeah... but, just a little bit, I'm grateful for that. If it hadn't happened, I never would've met Ernie."

"…………"

Ernie turned red, shrinking his large frame and scratching his head frantically.
At such an overtly innocent reaction, even Sylvia blushed.

They stared at each other silently for a few moments before Sylvia broke the awkward silence by changing the subject.

"By the way, when I was little, I couldn't see anything interesting at the arena. My dad used to carry me on his shoulders all the time."

"H-huh?"

"When he carried me, everything in the world looked different. I kept asking him to do it until I grew up quite a bit."

She smiled, then leaned back against Ernie's shoulder in a coquettish tone.

"……Ernie, will you carry me on your shoulders?"

"I-it's okay!?"

"No? Well, if you're as big as Ernie, I thought you could probably handle someone my size..."

"N-no, well, carrying one or two humans isn't too hard... but, uh, it means touching your butt!"

"……Pfft. Ahahaha!!"

Hearing Ernie's utterly ridiculous comment, Sylvia burst into laughter, while Ernie froze, wondering if he'd said something strange.

"It's fine, it's fine! Carrying you on the shoulders is off-limits! Come on, get on, get on!"

"H-haa... okay then, I'm going!"

Ernie carefully lifted Sylvia onto his shoulders, supporting her waist and knees gently.

Suddenly, Sylvia's view shot upward. The world transformed before her eyes.

"Waaaah... this is amazing, so amazing!"

"……Haa, um, that..."

Since Ernie was holding her tightly against his chest, she felt a bit distracted. A few seconds later, she realized her skirt was slightly short; if she stayed like this, her underwear would be fully exposed to the crowd. Panicking, she quickly shifted her body position in small, jerky movements.

Her motions looked so much like she was being cooed at that Sylvia giggled like a child.

After spending some time doing that, Sylvia suddenly began patting Ernie's head repeatedly.

When Ernie waited for her to say something, a curious voice came from above his head.

"……Ernie, your horn on the left... it's not there. Was it missing from the start?"

"No. It happened a while ago."

It wasn't that long ago—just a few years—but Ernie tried to put on a bit of an act. Using the word "long ago" made him feel like he belonged in the same category as older people, giving him a sense of maturity.
"…………"

Seeing that he was waiting for more, Ernie cleared his throat.

Although he didn't think it was something he usually shared with others, since Sylvia had confessed her feelings for him, he figured it was okay to tell her now. Besides, there was plenty of time.

"……I'm from an ogre colony near the coast close to the border with Afilum. That place was right next to the Dragon Palace."

"Yeah, yeah..."

"I once helped a lone dragon there. They were so grateful that they gave me one of their secret treasures as a reward."

"Wow, really?"

Dragons are the strongest and most solitary race among all species. They avoid contact with other races and live exclusively within Dragon Palace, a hidden sanctuary they have formed.
Their treasures possess astronomical value and have long been the object of adventurers' covetous desires.

"I brought that treasure back to the colony... but everyone assumed I'd stolen it from the dragons and got furious."

"Eh...?"

"As punishment, they pulled out my horn. It hurt beyond words."

Arnie's encounter with the dragon was purely coincidental. While hunting in the mountains, he found a young dragon lying unconscious, suffering from a high fever.

Dragons are not the same as flying dragons; they possess intelligence comparable to that of humans and apes. In their daily lives, they appear human-like. If they were to live in their true forms, even Dragon Palace would be too small to accommodate them, making it impossible for them to maintain their hidden sanctuary.

Seeing this young dragon, Arnie felt a mix of awe toward the legendary creatures and, being still a child himself, bravely carried him all the way to Dragon Palace.
Grateful for his kindness, the dragons presented him with a treasure: a beautiful gem known as the Dragon's Jade, an unblemished, indestructible jewel of supreme quality.

When Arnie returned with it, the adults were stunned. It was inconceivable that dragons would entrust such a valuable item to a child like him. They concluded he had sneaked into Dragon Palace and taken it as a prank.
Fearing retribution, they decided to make him atone on their own terms.

They restrained Arnie, who cried out that he hadn't lied, and pulled out his horn as punishment. Then they sent him back up the mountain to apologize to the dragons. The adults intended him as a sacrifice, and young Arnie could feel it viscerally.

"The wound from having my horn pulled out was agonizing, almost fatal, and then rain started falling—it was a terrible night. I stumbled into Dragon Palace and apologized as instructed... but the dragon people cried and begged for forgiveness. They said they'd done something awful and asked me to forgive them. They had only given me that treasure, yet seeing my injury made them weep so profusely that it filled me with immense joy."

"...Arnie, you..."

"But since I was meant as a sacrifice, I can't return. So I asked the dragon people to treat my wound and then joined the army in Quieka... In my hometown, I'm supposed to be dead already. Hahaha."

"............"

"That's why, honestly, I prefer other races over ogres. Being kind to me from other races makes me so happy. It makes me feel like I deserve to live. Oh, um, but I never thought someone as beautiful as Sylvia would say she likes me—I got carried away today, hahaha."

"...I'm sorry!!"

"Hah... eh?"

Suddenly apologized to from above, Arnie was startled. He had anticipated the conversation might take a sentimental turn, but he hadn't expected such an abrupt apology.

However, Sylvia continued; she stroked his broken right horn with her finger, then clung tightly to his large head and began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Huuu... ghh... I'm sorry... I, I... I liked you because you're big, so I just said I like you without thinking... Eeeww... I'm sorry... Your horn broke, and it broke because of me—it was your last remaining horn!"

"It's okay! The root is still there, so the right one will grow back."

"But, but oh... Ugh... I... You... That... So much... I don't understand 'liking' someone that deeply, I can't comprehend it... I'm sorry. I'll get better soon, properly... Arnie-kun, I'll properly like you again..."

"Oh, calm down, calm down. I don't need anything about 'properly' or all that—I'm just happy that Sylvia likes me."

"Aaa-nee-kuuun!! Ueeeeeeeeennn!!!"

Sylvia seemed utterly overwhelmed and burst into irrational, uncontrollable weeping.
Arnie was flustered—extremely so.

Sylvia continued to sob intermittently until dusk fell.

"...I'm sorry, Arnie-kun. You're pitiful, and I got a bit confused."

"Hah... Well, at least it was nice to see Sylvia's cute side."

It was supposed to be behind my head, so I couldn't see it.

Silvia rubbed her nose with a shh-shh motion, then made a "muh" sound as her serious face tilted upward to look at Earnie.

"Well, let me say it again... I, Silvia MacLean, truly like you, Earnie-kun. I've come to like you."

"H-hai!"

"...So, um..."

"............"

"............"

Stall. With Silvia's face still flushed and her head bowed in embarrassment, Earnie too found himself at a loss, his own cheeks burning.

Just then, in the corner of Earnie's wide field of vision, he spotted a familiar bull-like face.
"!?"
It was Kelly. And beneath her feet stood Andy.
Andy sat cross-legged, pointing his thumb downward in a silent boo—extremely unbecoming.
Kelly thrust her fist forward in front of her face, gah-gah, signaling "Go! Get out!"
Earnie was utterly baffled by their antics, but after a moment's thought, he grasped the meaning behind Kelly's "Go!" gesture.
That's right. Earnie had to move forward. This was precisely the kind of situation that called for it.
"Um..."
At the sound of Earnie's voice, Silvia snapped her head up.
Earnie bent at the waist, locking eyes with her seriously as he spoke.
"I also... I really like you too, Silvia-san... s-so much. I'd like to be your boyfriend."
"...Hai!"
With a soft shhh, Silvia stepped closer and pressed her delicate lips against the giant ogre's massive ones in a kiss.
The setting sun sliced across the mountain ridgeline, casting a gentle shadow over the lovers.

◇◇◇

"Captain of the Ten Smithsons."

"Huh? Oh, isn't that Private Boyd with his girlfriend?"

"U-um... I was hoping to ask you something about her."

"Tch. What now? Do you want another custom accessory? My sense is terrible; they don't work every time."

"No, well, it's not exactly an accessory..."

"...Ah, right. In that case, sure. Just wait a moment."

Silvia usually worked frying food at a convenience store tucked away in a corner of Basson Town.
That evening, unusually, Earnie appeared without an appointment.
"Sorry... the sign's already up... Ah, it's you, Earnie-kun!"
"Silvia-san. Um... could I have this?"
Suddenly thrust into Silvia's hands was a small accessory.
It was a necklace handmade by Andy: a piece of paint applied to one of Earnie's horns, with holes drilled through it and a thin chain threaded inside.

"Eh... what is this?"

"Yes. I want my horns to be with someone I love."

"Whew... damn it, listen up, you lot! Right now I'm stuck in a place like this, but back home there's an absolutely stunning beauty! Big breasts! A waist that cinches right here! And she loves me more than anything! Plus, you're a half-elf!"

"Aww, yeah, here we go again with Smayson the Captain's fantasy girl talk."

"Is that all the time you have? Boss, let's wrap up the tab soon."

"I said it wasn't in my head! I'm not talking about Void's girlfriend or whatever! Listen here, you idiot!"

The crossbow squad shared drinks tonight, a peaceful gathering of many races.