In the dawn, still damp with the morning dew, at the hour when the world is yet to fully awake.
Long past winter, the Gwangho Army Unit situated mid-mountain still experienced significant temperature differences between day and night.
As the cold from the ground seeped through the blanket, Yeonwoo, who was asleep, curled up and burrowed deeper into his bedding.
Then, a gentle voice faintly reached Yeonwoo’s ears.
“……Yeonwoo.”
The sound, echoing as if from a cave, gently permeated into the ears of Yeonwoo, deeply asleep.
Lulled by the sweet timbre, Yeonwoo drifted further into his dream.
“……Yeonwoo.”
The familiar and comforting voice grew clearer, softly calling Yeonwoo’s name.
But the gentle voice soon turned thunderous, striking Yeonwoo’s ears sharply.
“Yeonwoo!”
“Yes!”
Jolted awake by the voice, Yeonwoo sat up abruptly, almost springing out of bed.
It was an almost reflexive response.
Hearing Yeonwoo awake, the voice outside the barracks spoke in a calm tone, sounding relieved.
“Are you awake?”
There was only one person who would call Yeonwoo with such tenderness.
Yawning continuously, Yeonwoo replied with a sleepy voice.
“Yes. Is that you, Brother Biyeong?”
“Yes.”
“What brings you here so early in the morning?”
“Didn’t I say we start special training today?”
“Ah.”
Yeonwoo recalled Biyeong’s words from last night about starting special training.
But his body, still not fully awake, refused to move.
Before joining the Gwangho Army Unit, waking up early was not a challenge.
However, since becoming a trainee, Yeonwoo had to train daily to match the physical endurance of the male soldiers.
Due to this unfamiliar exertion, his muscles screamed in protest every morning.
Today, his body felt exceptionally heavy, and the blanket was as comforting as a mother hen’s embrace.
Unable to resist sleep, Yeonwoo’s head nodded heavily as if weighed down.
In a state where dreams and reality blurred, Yeonwoo’s words trailed off.
“Can’t I sleep a little more……?”
“What if you fail the test and get punished by Sir Gwangho?”
“……!”
At the mention of Gwangho, Yeonwoo’s sleepy eyes snapped open.
Considering Gwangho’s stern nature, any punishment would be severe.
Valuing his own life, Yeonwoo hastily dressed and stepped out of the barracks.
Outside, Biyeong was waiting for him.
As the chilly dawn air seeped into his bones, Yeonwoo wrapped his arms around himself.
“Ugh, the morning air is so cold…….”
Before he could finish, Biyeong’s coat gently landed on Yeonwoo’s shoulders.
The warmth remaining in the coat thawed Yeonwoo’s frozen body.
Despite not containing a sachet, a refreshing floral scent wafted from the coat, enveloping Yeonwoo.
Clutching the coat closer, Yeonwoo asked.
“Aren’t you cold, Brother?”
“Not at all. Now, extend your hands.”
As Yeonwoo held out his hands, two small, cloth-wrapped hot water bottles were placed in his small, pale hands.
Yeonwoo looked puzzled.
“What’s this for?”
“You’ve always been sensitive to cold since you were young. They’re heated up, so keep them in your pockets.”
“My goodness… It’s like you know me better than I know myself.”
“I know everything about you.”
“I’ll use them well. Thank you.”
“Alright. Let’s get going then.”
Yeonwoo carefully placed the hot water bottles in his pockets and followed Biyeong to start the training.
The training ground they arrived at was a flat plain with a small ditch, ideal for practice.
The two sat down by the ditch to wash their faces in the morning.
Wearing the hot water bottles and Biyeong’s coat, a warm heat circulated inside Yeonwoo’s clothes.
As his body warmed up, drowsiness returned to Yeonwoo.
Just as Biyeong was about to speak to Yeonwoo, who had completed his wash-up, Yeonwoo’s small and light head began to sway and gently rested on Biyeong’s shoulder.
Yeonwoo, unable to resist the weight of his head, had fallen back into the depths of sleep.
Biyeong, seeing Yeonwoo’s innocent and defenseless appearance, couldn’t help but smile fondly.
How could someone look so endearing even while dozing?
Seeing him so sleepy, Biyeong wanted to offer more of his shoulder.
The trainee’s training was based on the stamina of adult men, so it must have been challenging for a woman like Yeonwoo.
Yeonwoo never showed any sign of hardship to Biyeong, even though the rigorous training must have been tough.
Biyeong felt proud of her, yet also a bit sorry.
However, with Yeonwoo’s strength falling short compared to the men and Gun keeping a close eye on her.
Following Gun’s special instruction, the usual training method wasn’t enough.
To compensate for Yeonwoo’s weaknesses, she had to be trained twice as hard.
That meant training during others’ sleeping hours and even when they were resting.
There was no time to spare.
Biyeong softly called Yeonwoo’s name to wake her up.
“Wake up, Yeonwoo.”
But Yeonwoo, deeply asleep, showed no sign of waking.
As Biyeong reached to touch her cheek to awaken her.
Yeonwoo’s head, which had been resting on his shoulder, suddenly dropped forward.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
