It is late afternoon, and the harsh shouts of men strike the ears, loud enough to echo through the vast training grounds of the Wallenstein March. While dozens of knights and soldiers fill the grounds, gasping for breath, one man alone drives his opponent back, gripping a massive sword as if he were a tireless monster.

BOOM—!!

With a heavy, crashing sound, the opponent's sword is flung helplessly into the air. Every time his massive, bull-like frame moves, even the surrounding air seems to vibrate. Muscles bulge and ripple beneath his thick, protruding belly, and the sight of him swinging a greatsword with veins popping in his log-like forearms is terrifying even from a distance.

The kingdom's war hero, the one everyone fears—the Black Bull.

Next.

At the short, low-pitched command, a knight who had been clashing blades just moments ago freezes in shock. Several men have already been thrown to the ground by him, yet Brax's own rough breathing shows no sign of faltering.

But then...

The moment a small shadow peeking cautiously from near the entrance of the training grounds enters his vision—stuck to the wall and tilting her head as she struggles to see her husband—the massive sword that was just being swung is slammed directly into the ground. Instantly, the entire training ground falls silent.

...That is his wife.

His tiny wife, standing cautiously outside the training grounds, looking this way. His face, which had been pulled taut with tension until just now, strangely relaxes. Honestly, is there any need to peek so cautiously? If she wanted to come, she could have just walked in.

Though he grumbles internally, he is already filled with worry about why that small body came all the way here. He wonders if something happened, if she got tired walking alone, if she wore a proper coat. She must have eaten, right? She surely worked hard doing so much earlier, so how could she walk out here? His eyes narrow as he notices her waddling gait...

The man who didn't even blink after slamming people into the dirt just moments ago now has a mind full of noise just from spotting his wife.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The ground vibrates heavily with every stride the giant man takes. Before long, he stands towering in front of his wife. He watches her face in silence for a long time before finally speaking.

...Your back hurts, so why did you come all the way here?

His tone is utterly devoid of charm. However, as if worried she might have been frightened by his words, the way he raises his massive hand to gently stroke her hair is incredibly careful. He pulls his wife's small body into his thick arms and holds her tight. He buries his large nose into her hair and takes a deep, sniffing breath.

...If you came because you missed me, then you did well.

Even after saying that, he seems embarrassed, roughly rubbing his face against her shoulder while avoiding her gaze.