How Can a Soldier Be So Fair? (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 6
It had been long since dusk settled over the Eastern Palace.
The candles, busy consuming themselves, cast a faint glow beyond the palace walls.
Hwan, the master of the Eastern Palace, had been so engrossed in reading late into the night that he hadn’t even noticed the bell tolling the hour of Hae Shi.
His features—startlingly pale and delicately drawn—framed a face of quiet intensity.
His long, upward-slanting eyes gazed out toward the darkened sky beyond the window.
His stare carried an air of precariousness, like a candle flame flickering in the wind.
“So it’s already this late.”
Only now realizing it was time to retire, Hwan closed the book he’d been reading.
Just as he donned his night robe and prepared to lie down, Eunuch Park’s voice came from outside the bedchamber door.
“Your Highness, have you retired for the night?”
“Not yet. What is it?”
“Prince Gwang Ho has come to see you.”
At the mention of Prince Gwang Ho, Hwan hesitated briefly, then spoke with indifference, his thin lips barely moving.
“It’s late. Send him away and tell him to come again tomorrow.”
“But, um…”
Eunuch Park’s voice from beyond the door sounded deeply troubled.
Simultaneously, a commotion erupted outside the Eastern Palace.
—Crash!
“Y-Your Lordship, Prince Gwang Ho!”
“You mustn’t do this!”
Disturbed by the clamor, Hwan raised his voice.
“What’s all this noise outside?”
Moments later, the door to the bedchamber burst open violently.
Standing there was Geon, his chest soaked in blood, his robe torn open at the front.
Court attendants and Eunuch Park, unable to stop him, stood helplessly by, stamping their feet in distress.
An uneasy tension radiated from Geon, spreading through the chamber.
Yet Hwan responded with an oddly gentle smile, entirely at odds with the atmosphere.
His smile and Geon’s palpable anxiety twisted the very air of the bedchamber.
Though Hwan wore a smile, his eyes, fixed on Geon, were chillingly devoid of warmth.
They were hardly on friendly terms—Geon’s uninvited late-night visit only reinforced the invisible wall standing between them.
Despite having grown up together in the palace since childhood, there was not a trace of brotherly affection between them.
Geon, the son of a concubine, had monopolized their father’s affection, making him a constant thorn in Hwan’s side.
Hwan had believed becoming Crown Prince would earn him their father’s attention, yet nothing had changed.
The deeper their father’s love for Geon grew, the more bitter Hwan’s jealousy became—eventually twisting into outright hatred for his half-brother.
Naturally, Geon found no comfort in Hwan’s thinly veiled hostility; indeed, the saying “worse than strangers” fit them perfectly.
Seated on the bed, Hwan asked calmly,
“What is the meaning of this disturbance, entering my chamber uninvited at such a late hour?”
Without a word, Geon strode into the room.
Though his face showed no emotion, his eyes burned with enough fury to tear a man apart.
Unfazed, Hwan continued softly,
“I doubt you came simply because you missed me.”
Then Geon threw down a bundle he’d been holding, letting it land heavily before Hwan.
—Thud!
The bundle thudded to the floor at Hwan’s feet.
Blood slowly seeped from it, staining the chamber floor crimson.
As the knot came undone, the bloodied head of a man emerged from within.
It was the very man who had stabbed Geon in the abdomen.
Seeing the severed head, the nearby courtiers gasped in horror, while three Royal Guards instantly leaped forward, leveling their spears at Geon.
Yet Geon remained perfectly composed, showing no sign of alarm despite the blades at his throat.
With a mere wave of Hwan’s hand—as if nothing were amiss—the guards withdrew like shadows.
Hwan, who had been silently observing the severed head, slowly lifted his gaze and asked Geon in a composed tone,
“What is this?”
“The gift you sent me seemed far too generous, so I’ve brought it back.”
Their exchange, centered around a severed head, was oddly calm.
This unnerving composure only thickened the stifling tension in the air.
Hwan smiled benevolently, as if the head before him had nothing whatsoever to do with him.
“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”
“Strange—there’s something even Your Highness doesn’t know.”
Twisting one corner of his mouth into a sneer, Geon mocked Hwan’s feigned innocence.
Maintaining his poise, Hwan went on,
“You truly enjoy playing cruel pranks, Prince Gwang Ho. Ah, I heard you recently formed a special unit bearing your name.”
Hwan deftly changed the subject with snake-like cunning.
“I’m told it’s composed of men who haven’t even fulfilled their military obligations. I do worry—might this tarnish your standing?”
Despite voicing concern, Hwan’s expression remained utterly relaxed.
Beneath the guise of worry lay thinly veiled contempt.
When Geon fixed Hwan with a gaze completely unmoved by emotion, the air in the chamber chilled as if frost had crept in.
One might have seen their breath the moment they spoke.
In that icy silence, Geon quietly parted his lips and let out a low, resonant voice,
“You worry too much. I’m more than capable of returning a head as a gift to Your Highness.”
Hwan’s eyes fell upon the severed head lying on the floor.
Its lifeless eyes stared blankly at Hwan, as if blaming him for its fate.
Returning the man’s severed head was Geon’s way of saying he wouldn’t overlook Hwan’s provocation—a silent warning.
In response, Hwan’s eyelid twitched faintly.
He couldn’t afford to let Geon’s confident demeanor go unchecked.
“Then I wish you a peaceful night.”
Having said his piece, Geon turned and strode out of the Eastern Palace.
The moment he left, Hwan’s previously composed face twisted with rage.
The contrast between his earlier smile and his current expression was as sharp as a double-edged blade.
Why does he always manage to return alive, no matter what?
No matter how many times Hwan crushed him, Geon rose again like a weed—his tenacious will to survive was, in its own perverse way, a talent.
Next time, Hwan would tear him out by the roots before he could stand again.
Hwan silently glared at Geon’s retreating back until he vanished from sight.
First day of recruit assembly.
Spring sunlight warmly bathed the recruits gathered at the training grounds.
Dressed in the uniforms issued by the unit, the trainees assembled at the designated spot.
Never in their lives had they imagined they’d one day wear soldier’s uniforms.
Yeon Woo felt as if she’d truly become a trained warrior—ready at any moment to show off dazzling martial skills.
She wasn’t the only one brimming with excitement.
Dae Bok plopped one leg onto a nearby rock and proudly displayed his uniform-clad figure to Yeon Woo.
“Hey, little brother—how do I look? Suit me well? Honestly, I think I look good in anything.”
“Yes, indeed. It suits you very well.”
“That’s all you’ve got? Truly, you’re the driest person when it comes to emotion!”
“…”
“Describe in detail just how amazing I look! Express that feeling welling up from deep inside your heart! Don’t hold back your admiration!”
Yeon Woo couldn’t understand why he was making such a fuss over a uniform everyone, including herself and Dae Bok, was wearing.
Lee Dae Bok really knew how to be annoying.
How exactly was she supposed to gush over this?
—Clap, clap, clap.
Yeon Woo slowly clapped her hands in a dull, monotonous rhythm and spoke flatly,
“Wow. Of course, Young Master Dae Bok. You’ve completely turned this unit upside down.”
“…Why do I feel like you’re mocking me?”
He’d gotten the praise he wanted—so why did it leave such a sour taste?
As Yeon Woo kept clapping loudly, nearby recruits began glancing over curiously.
Yet her soulless string of compliments showed no sign of stopping.
“You’re truly… the… best… bro… ther… e… ver. Even men would swoon at the sight!”
“Alright, stop it already, little brother. It’s starting to get embarrassing.”
Just as Dae Bok, now red-faced, tried to scold her seriously, the assembly horn blared.
In response, a familiar figure stepped forward before the assembled trainees.
Yeon Woo’s eyes widened in shock—she couldn’t believe who she was seeing.
The man in full military officer attire was someone she knew all too well.
‘Brother Bi Young…!’
Of course she’d meet Bi Young—this was Prince Gwang Ho’s unit, after all.
But she’d left home in such a hurry she hadn’t had time to think how to explain herself to him.
She couldn’t just suddenly announce, “Ta-da! I’ve disguised myself as a man and enlisted!”
Bi Young surely hadn’t imagined his gentle Yeon Woo would braid her hair and enlist in men’s clothing.
Having prepared no excuse whatsoever, Yeon Woo couldn’t risk revealing she’d joined Prince Gwang Ho’s unit—so she quickly ducked behind Dae Bok.
“W-What’s gotten into you, little brother! Did you eat something bad?”
Flustered by her sudden action, Dae Bok stammered.
Too frightened to make even a peep—lest Bi Young catch sight of her—Yeon Woo stayed silent.
“…”
“Are you sick? Do you need to… go relieve yourself again?!”
“Do you really think all I ever do is relieve myself?! Just stay quiet for a moment!”
Yeon Woo scolded him in a whisper only Dae Bok could hear.
Dae Bok, taken aback by her audacity, could only stare at her dumbfounded.
He turned his head slightly and whispered back,
“Are you mad? The man up front is Training Officer Ryu Bi Young! Do you want to get on his bad side on your very first day?”
“I know who the training officer is! Just stay still! You’re making me stand out even more!”
“Huh…!”
Speechless, Dae Bok clicked his tongue in exasperation.
Giving up on arguing with her, he turned his full attention to Bi Young’s speech.
Standing at the front, Bi Young spoke with solemn gravity,
“Congratulations on passing the selection exam. I am Training Officer Ryu Bi Young, and I will be overseeing your training from now on.”
Bi Young began welcoming the recruits and outlining several important rules.
Peeking out from behind Dae Bok, Yeon Woo stole glances at him.
Where had his usual gentleness and soft-spoken manner gone?
His tone was stiff, his expression stern—utterly unlike his normal self.
His military uniform only accentuated his broad, imposing frame.
Disciplined and commanding, Bi Young now radiated a rugged masculinity that contrasted sharply with his usual image of refined kindness.
He seemed like an entirely different person.
Bi Young showed no sign of recognizing Yeon Woo, continuing his address without a flicker of expression.
Yeon Woo frantically racked her brain—how could she possibly explain this situation?
Should she write him a letter? Or quietly approach him and confess everything?
But what if confessing got her expelled from the unit?
Even if he didn’t get angry, being kicked out would render her desperate enlistment meaningless.
She clung to a slender thread of hope—maybe Bi Young wouldn’t recognize her in disguise.
‘Right. I’ll just stay quiet and unnoticed. He won’t spot me among thirty other recruits.’
As she fretted behind Dae Bok, Bi Young’s speech finally ended.
Just as she breathed a sigh of relief and started stepping out from behind Dae Bok—
Bi Young called her name.
“Trainee Hong Yeon Woo, follow me to my quarters.”
“!”
Having finished speaking, Bi Young turned sharply and strode off toward his tent.
Yeon Woo’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest at being summoned.
How could he know she was here without even looking?
Amid her confusion, Dae Bok seized the moment to scold her.
“See?! Didn’t I tell you you’d get noticed?!”
Too stunned to retort, Yeon Woo could only stare blankly as Bi Young walked farther away.
Her belief that she could fool him had been nothing but her own delusion.
Entering Bi Young’s quarters, Yeon Woo saw an array of weapons and tactical tools neatly arranged.
But she had no mind to admire such rare items.
Seated in a chair, Bi Young waited for her.
Though his head was bowed—his expression unreadable—she could sense immediately that he was not in a good mood.
Yeon Woo approached him slowly.
For the first time, an awkward silence lingered between them.
Now standing before him, her mind went completely blank.
She had no idea how to explain this situation.
Bi Young let out a deep sigh.
“Sigh… So it really was you…”
After a brief pause, he slowly raised his head to meet Yeon Woo’s eyes.
No matter how much he’d tried to deny it, Trainee Hong Yeon Woo and the Yeon Woo he knew were undeniably one and the same.
Even hidden behind Dae Bok, her posture and gait alone had made her instantly recognizable.
He looked at her with profound disappointment.
“So it really is you…”
“…How did you know it was me?”
“Have I ever said there’s anything about you I don’t know?”
Speechless at his reply, Yeon Woo slumped in defeat.
Watching her nervously gauge his reaction, she resembled a child awaiting punishment from a parent.
To break the uncomfortable silence, Bi Young spoke again,
“Why did you join this place?”
She wouldn’t have come to a place even ordinary men struggled to endure unless she had no other choice.
Yeon Woo hesitated, then answered softly,
“That… it’s difficult to explain.”
She couldn’t bring herself to admit she’d joined Prince Gwang Ho’s unit to escape her arranged marriage to Old Man Bae—and to break free from her suffocating home life.
That marriage was a humiliation she couldn’t bear to reveal to Bi Young.
“Do you find me so untrustworthy that you must hide this even from someone who’s known you for so long?”
“No! It’s just… I can’t tell you right now. I’m sorry.”
Since childhood, Yeon Woo had rarely opened up about her hardships.
Even after her father’s death, she never showed how difficult things were—so he’d only learned of her family’s poverty much later.
Whenever Bi Young discovered she was struggling, he’d roll up his sleeves and support her wholeheartedly.
Yet despite his efforts, Yeon Woo rarely leaned on him.
He didn’t know the exact reason she’d ended up in Prince Gwang Ho’s unit—but the battlefield was no forgiving place.
With solemn gravity, he asked,
“What do you think a soldier’s duty is?”
“That is…”
“To kill people.”
His voice dropped low and heavy.
“A soldier stabs, slashes, and kills. That’s a soldier’s life—if you don’t kill, you die. How can you, a woman, possibly handle such a thing?”
He couldn’t allow Yeon Woo to step onto a battlefield soaked in bloodshed.
“Go home. This is no place for you.”
Bi Young issued his stern warning with unwavering resolve.
“No.”
But Yeon Woo matched his determination with equal firmness.
“This is my first real chance to live my own life. I can’t possibly let go of this opportunity the heavens have given me.”
This was all for her own safety—yet she stubbornly refused to understand his intentions.
Frustration burned in Bi Young’s chest as he watched her defy him.
He shot up from his seat and raised his voice,
“You could be in danger before you even get a real chance! How do you expect to defeat seasoned warriors who’ve trained for battle their whole lives?”
“I can shoot arrows! I’ll take them out before they get to me!”
“War isn’t some simple fight!”
Even with the utmost caution, lives were lost in an instant on the battlefield.
Nor was it pleasant to witness the corpses of enemies or fallen comrades afterward.
Bi Young didn’t want Yeon Woo to experience such horrors.
It was pain she never needed to endure.
Slumping back into his chair, he covered his face with his hands and murmured self-reproachfully,
“…This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have taught you how to use a bow.”
But if he hadn’t taught her archery, she would have had no choice but to marry Old Man Bae.
To Yeon Woo, that marriage would have been a death sentence.
Seeing her benefactor—her near guardian—suffer in guilt tore at her heart.
She stepped forward and knelt before him.
“It’s not your fault. Thanks to the bow you taught me, I found this chance.”
Her small hand gently covered his.
“When you tell me to go home, it’s the same as telling me to embrace death.”
The warmth from her tender hand slowly reached him, and Bi Young lifted his head.
His eyes, filled with guilt and anguish, met hers.
“Whether I die here or at home—it’s all the same to me. And if I leave now, won’t I be branded a deserter?”
She was already officially a trainee in Prince Gwang Ho’s unit.
If she abandoned her post, she could be sentenced to execution for desertion.
It was far too late to turn back.
Speaking clearly and firmly—though gently—Yeon Woo declared her resolve,
“If I’m fated to die anyway, isn’t it better to try first and die with fewer regrets?”
Her sincerity radiated unwavering strength and determination.
How could such resolve come from such a delicate frame?
“Sigh…”
Bi Young exhaled deeply.
As her training officer, he could surely find a way to send her home—but above all, he couldn’t ignore the resolute gleam in her eyes.
“…Fine.”
Only then did his voice soften, though still heavy with concern.
Relief washed over Yeon Woo, and a bright smile bloomed on her face.
“Thank you so much, Brother Bi Young.”
What was so delightful?
Seeing her beam with joy, Bi Young couldn’t help but offer a bitter smile in return.
He knew full well the hardships she’d face in the unit.
He didn’t know what desperate circumstances had driven her to enlist—but surviving military life as a woman would be anything but easy.
Eventually, she’d surely grow homesick and wish to return.
When that time came, he’d find a way to let her leave.
Until then, his duty was clear.
He would protect her during her time in the unit.
If he guarded her closely, she might finally open up and confide in him.
Slowly, Bi Young turned his large hand over.
Her small, pale hand resting on his slid neatly into his palm.
Gazing at her tiny hand, he spoke tenderly,
“Yeon Woo, do you know what you are to me?”
“My closest older brother, aren’t you?”
At her reply, Bi Young silently shook his head.
Then he lifted her hand and slowly brought the back of it to his lips.
His lips hovered just above her skin, perilously close yet never quite touching.
His warm breath brushed against her skin, sending a tingling sensation up her arm.
Tightly holding her hand, Bi Young spoke with quiet urgency,
“You’re far more than just a dear younger sister.”
His deep brown eyes locked steadily onto hers.
Caught in that gaze, Yeon Woo felt like a prisoner—utterly unable to move.
When yandere male lead believes she loves him — but she never did
“How dare you!”
“How dare you make me love you, only to cast me aside as nothing more than a friend?!?
“I will never accept that.”
“I will never let you return to him.”
“Even if I have to burn myself to ashes.”
“Even if I must shatter my purity, my dignity, my very soul.”
“I will never let you escape me!”
This was the first novel that introduced me to the matriarchal genre. I’ve read it three times already!
At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.
Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.
The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.
Synopsis:
Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?
Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?
Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?
The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.
The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.
Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~
_____
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