I feel like their romance was definitely there, but also, the romance was not the focal point of their story. The main reason they were each other's love interest, or at least, Kaillou to Judith, was so that she had someone who could help her kill her bad habits and change her ways of life. In order for her to be the person she wants to become, Kaillou also had to ensure he could be a supporter of her and her ambition. I truly think their romance was also the embodiment of respect and consideration for each other.
I’m bitter after reading the villain’s past. He was still a child when the emperor abandoned him and only took his twin. His unstable mother later committed suicide in front of him, which led him to gain evil power from Karnak (their god), causing him to be brutally beaten from a young age. When he grew up and became a captain, his father still refused to acknowledge him, and he had to watch his siblings grow up with love and wealth in the imperial palace.
yeah sure but then he ruins everyone else's lives ... it gets to a point
The villain was separated from his twin, abandoned by his father, and forced to watch his mother die. Instead of helping him, Karnak gave him evil power as a child, which led to years of abuse. Even after becoming a captain, his father still denied him while his siblings grew up loved and privileged. He lived miserably for over 10 years before becoming a villain
The MC also wasn’t innocent, she chose to kill for money and didn’t care when her friends died, but she was given a 2nd chance and became good. While the villain received no help until after he became a villain
u repeated the first part of ur comment... yes, his background and his upbringing was not good, but he is a grown man who has plenty of time to rectify his ways. His future was a bright one. He would inherit a noble title, he already had a strong reputation as a captain of a knight squadron, and he certainly had plenty of money. Why is he trying to fight for more? It is obvious that he did not even hold or care for his mother, so it's clearly not revenge. His entire rhetoric, especially motivated by his mother's death (hence his stigma manifesting), is that being weak is embarrassing. The only thing that remotely haunts him is that he did not insist to his actual father, the emperor, to take him in as a prince. Then, throughout the story, it's just his insatiable greed that motivates him to kill innocent people and treat them as tools. His only hope is to control his puppet twin brother on the throne. I would feel worse if it was a better written villain, but he is just a bad person with no redeeming qualities.
When u bring up the mc, obviously she is not innocent in her first life, but she grew and atoned in her second life. In her first life, I would argue that she is groomed by the captain of the black knights to become the way she did. Yes, she could have rejected it in the first life, but where would that get her? It would get her killed. What would he do if he got the chance to go back? He would just beg his emperor father to take him in as a prince, and if the emperor rejected (which he 99.9999% would), he would wreak havoc and nothing would change.
I’m not saying he’s good. I’m just commenting on how this manhwa made me bitter about the way Karnak (their god), instead of helping him, gave him evil power. That’s why I’m saying Karnak should have helped him before he turned into a villain. I know he was beyond saving after killing so many people, but the MC also killed many people. She could have chosen to die instead of killing for money, since she ended up dying anyway and was given a second chance by Karnak. You can say whatever you want, I’m just sharing what made me bitter about this manhwa. You can’t judge me just because I feel bitter about this manhwa. Everyone has the right to their own taste and opinion
It's not the fact that he killed many people, but that he forced others to do his bidding and follow suit. The MC killed criminals previously, but was coerced and then even forced to kill because of HIM. There's a difference between doing something voluntarily and being groomed and pressured into it. Imagine she didn't follow his lead after he assigned her with tasks related to regicide, she would have died.
Karnak gave people chances and in the end, if you don't choose to be a person who can do things FOR good, then that's your own fault and issue. The power itself never had a requirement to be used. It was already laid out in the manhwa that stigmas and their negative perception were based off of a social construct built by humans. It was not determined or said by any divinity.
We clearly see the story through different lenses. I’ve explained what affected my reading of the story, and I’m comfortable leaving the discussion there
you're your own person at the end of the day
I don't feel thier romance. Their love story/ romance doesn't give so much impact. Maybe I'm just bitter or nah whatever.