Published: August 15, 2025
The young man standing there was none other than my husband, Lord Cyrus, the lord of Granado Castle.
Cyrus Granado was tall. I, who am about average height for a man, had to look up to him. His shoulders and chest were broad and thick, and he had a sturdy, warrior-like physique.
His brown skin, glossy black hair, and green eyes were unusual colors in the Dirts Kingdom. His strikingly handsome face, when expressionless, gave off a slightly intimidating aura.
Despite his appearance, I knew that he was kind-hearted and surprisingly playful... but somehow, today was different.
Lord Cyrus didn’t notice our presence. He just stood in the corridor, facing the courtyard. He was probably looking at the flower garden, but rather than being captivated by the flowers, he seemed lost in thought. A shadow lingered on his profile.
What should I do? Should I leave him alone...?
Hesitant, I softly called out.
“Lord Cyrus... welcome home.”
He turned around upon hearing me. The moment he noticed us, he squinted his eyes. For an instant, he looked a little lonely — but then his face broke into a wide smile and he spread his arms.
“I’m home, Marie! Lisa! I’ve missed you so much!”
He strode over in large steps and then suddenly wrapped his huge body around us in a big hug. Then he rubbed his cheek vigorously, showering us with affection. Holding Lisa to his chest, I couldn’t resist his gestures as he expressed his love with all his might, sighing deeply.
“Blessed, family! Bliss! Happiness! Pure joy!”
“Y-Yes, I feel the same way...”
“Oh, cute Marie, my adorable wife. And our daughter’s sleeping face is so cute. Seeing you holding sleeping Lisa just makes me overflow with joy...”
“I’m not sure what you’re saying, but welcome home, Lord Cyrus.”
“I’m hoooome!”
He shouted again, rubbing his cheek against us.
Behind us, Lord Ruifeng let out an exasperated voice.
“What are you doing, Cyrus?”
“Oh, Ruifeng. Long time no see. How have you been?”
Still holding me against his chest, Lord Cyrus casually raised one hand. This was the first reunion between these two in a year and a half. Usually calm Lord Ruifeng pressed his fingers between his brows and said,
“…Yeah, I’m well. I understand how you feel, but please tone it down a little. If it’s hard to talk in front of Marie…”
“Hm, you have something on your chin.”
Without warning, Lord Cyrus swiftly yanked at Lord Ruifeng’s beard. With a loud snap, Lord Ruifeng collapsed silently to the ground.
Ouch, that looked painful!
Lord Cyrus genuinely thought it was some kind of dirt and blew the soft hair fragments from his hand.
“Ugh... gah, th-thud...!”
Lord Ruifeng clutched his chin in pain. Seeing this, Lord Cyrus suddenly realized it must have been his beard. He gasped.
“Wait, was that your beard? Sorry, I thought it was lint or something. That must have hurt.”
Before Cyrus could finish speaking, Ruifeng lunged at him, and the two began wrestling on the ground. Two men in their mid-twenties, both of noble birth, rolling around in a scuffle. It was good to see how close they were.
I narrowed my eyes and silently enjoyed the spectacle. I probably would have rushed to stop them before, but now I understood this was their way of reaffirming friendship.
Their tussle started abruptly and ended just as suddenly. As expected, dust brushed off carelessly, and the two began chatting as usual.
“—Speaking of which, Cyrus, your appearance has changed somewhat. I’ve never seen your hair this short before.”
“Short is putting it mildly. This might be the first time I’ve cut it this close. It’s not like I was growing it for any particular reason.”
“What brought on the change?”
“Not a change in mindset, but in circumstances. Lisa, for some reason, loves to pull my hair…”
Lord Cyrus frowned in a troubled way.
Yes, our daughter was obsessed with her father’s hair. The moment he held her, she reached for his black hair. I was surprised by this myself, but a baby’s grip strength is quite strong. When that tiny, damp hand grabbed his hair, he couldn’t shake her off and just had to endure.