However, taking advantage of the opponent being a woman, Hwan found it advantageous to delve even deeper into Gwangho Army’s weaknesses. So, one way or another, it was a good opportunity for Hwan.

“This is going to be interesting.”

To what extent can he lower himself to protect someone precious?

Looking at the place where Geon and Yeonwoo disappeared, Hwan stroked his chin. The air around him turned chilly, and a sinister aura flickered in his eyes.

“Is your arm okay?”

As Geon distanced himself from Hwan, he immediately checked Yeonwoo’s condition. His gaze held sincere concern for her.

“Any injuries?”

“I’m fine. But…”

“But?”

Yeonwoo’s voice trailed off, clouded with thoughts for a moment. To Hwan, she was only holding hands, nothing more.

However, when she recalled his face, shivers ran down her spine. Behind Hwan’s faint smile, an unfathomable black abyss revealed itself.

She wanted to believe it was just her imagination due to her mood, but Hwan’s gaze explicitly displayed twisted desires.

Moreover, despite being stepbrothers, Hwan and Geon had almost no resemblance. The two of them, emitting a chilly atmosphere, seemed like water and oil that couldn’t blend.

‘The person who sent an assassin to Lady Nari is indeed Prince Hwan…’

Finally, she encountered the mastermind behind Geon’s peril. Thinking about the suffering Geon had endured, a burning rage surged within Yeonwoo.

Why would one go so far as to harm family for the sake of power?

As Yeonwoo clenched her fist, lost in thought, Geon, who had been waiting for her words, spoke up.

“You didn’t have anything to say?”

“Ah…!”

Yeonwoo, absorbed in her thoughts about Hwan, had forgotten to speak. Shaking off uneasy thoughts, she decided to change the heavy atmosphere and brought up a different topic.

“Please don’t look at me with the same gaze as now when we’re outside.”

“The same gaze as now?”

“Yes, the gaze you have right now.”

“How am I looking at you?”

Baffled by Yeonwoo’s ambiguous words, Geon asked.

“The gaze you have when looking at me seems like honey is about to drip. If you keep looking at me with such a sweet gaze, how will you handle it if rumors of a bluish hue start circulating?”

Whenever Geon looked at her with affection, Yeonwoo’s heart melted, giving her a special feeling of being a beloved woman.
Perplexed by Yeonwoo’s ambiguous words, Geon asked, “What do you mean?”

“It feels like honey will drip from Nari’s gaze when she looks at me. How will you handle it if rumors of a bluish hue start circulating, given that you keep looking at me with such a sweet gaze every time?”

Whenever Geon looked at her affectionately, Yeonwoo’s heart seemed to melt, and she felt a special sensation of becoming a beloved woman.

However, outside, she had to live not as Lady Hong Yeonwoo but as Soldier Hong Yeonwoo.

The rumors about Geon having an affair were troublesome, but Yeonwoo couldn’t forget Hwan’s recent actions. She had even sweated at the thought of being exposed under Hwan’s gaze, which stared at her as if she were a woman.

“If it bothers you that much, why not live as a lady when we’re alone?”

The attitude wasn’t just bothering Yeonwoo; it was also unsettling for others.

Today’s meeting with Hwan seemed to have resulted in the feared situation. Hwan, who had been trying to destroy Geon somehow, would undoubtedly attack by exploiting Yeonwoo’s cross-dressing as a weakness.

She didn’t know how he would threaten Yeonwoo, just as he had threatened Geon.

To do that, she needed to strip Yeonwoo of her disguise as soon as possible. However, breaking her determination to remain a soldier wasn’t an easy task.

Therefore, Geon tried to find a way to change her mind.

“I told you, I will remain as Soldier Hong Yeonwoo.”

“Then how about trying this?”

Seeing no signs of narrowing opinions, Geon played a trump card.

“As a birthday present, just spend one day in the appearance of a lady.”

Although Geon had a desire to embrace Yeonwoo in her female form, he also considered that she might change her mind if she experienced living as a lady.

“Birthday?!”

At the mention of a birthday, Yeonwoo jumped from her seat with widened eyes.

“When is Nari’s birthday?”

“In four days.”

“Well, that’s not far away! Why are you telling me now?”

“Do I have to tell you in advance?”

“Of course!”

Since becoming lovers with Geon, Yeonwoo wanted to properly celebrate his birthday for the first time. If he wanted to see her as a woman, why not grant him that wish?

With four days, there was enough time to prepare.

Determinedly, Yeonwoo swallowed her saliva and said, “Then, give me some time.”
“Do you think there’s a reason why I need time?”

“If I’m going to show you, I should show you properly. However, I’ve never tried the makeup that other women commonly use, and I’ve never worn high heels either. So, I think I need to study.”

Yeonwoo knew how to shoot arrows at a target but didn’t know how to dress up like a woman. Although she had been cross-dressing for a long time, her desire to show a beautiful side to her lover was no different from others.