They have good chemistry together purely because 1, they share similar sentiments about their duties. (FLs in tending to the world tree against her will when she wanted to be free, SMLs towards getting revenge and his land back for his people’s sake. Which also seemed to be thrust upon him against his will.)
And 2, since they’re strangers it’s easier to let out what you’re feeling without worry because you have no prior relationship. You can say what you want and it’s a weight off your chest.
You are sososo right with the ML having a glamorized perception of the FL and not fully understanding her personality due to lack of meeting up. And it’s something that’ll most likely be worked on as the longer shes in the capital. It also doesn’t help that she now has both royals vying for her, as to keep her there forever.
The best timeline is her finally connecting the dots that SML is the reason the manas getting corrupted. And instead of immediately villainizing him, she instead sees it from the standpoint of the empire did his people wrong and as the world tree caretaker uses that to help liberate his people. The cliche, “this won’t free your people, but instead further damn them.” Type writing.
I’ve seen a bunch of comments so far of people liking the second ML and I feel inclined to agree with that sentiment as well. I don’t hate the first ML at all it’s just that even though FL has had very little interaction with 2nd ML I already like them together way more. It really just has to do with them being able to connect more.
The 1st ML isn’t terrible at all but I think the problem with him is that he has this image of FL in his head that he’s has since they were children. It’s not wrong cause it’s not like the FL isn’t like how he thinks she is. She just has different facets to her personality that 1st ML doesn’t know about which really is what the main problem is about. They just don’t know each other. I’m not saying this is all on him. Circumstances have made it so that they couldn’t meet for a long time and now that they can the 1st ML has been fairly forthcoming for his care towards her and that he intends to marry her. He hasn’t actually confessed his feelings yet but he’s still pretty open with her.
The FL on the other hand hasn’t been entirely forthcoming. I also don’t fault her for this cause that’s just how her personality is and realistically speaking she just doesn’t really know these people. She has a bit of history with them and because of that she’s trying to be aware of how she acts. Which finally leads me onto why I already like her and 2nd ML already when they’ve barely interacted. In their first two interactions they’ve already been way more honest and open with each other than her and 1st ML. Of course they’re still hiding stuff but they already know way more about each other as people on a more deeper level. This just makes it easier to form more of a connection because there hasn’t been any expectations set up from the start for each other unlike her and 1st ML.
I still can’t be entirely sure when it comes to 2nd ML’s personality but I’m definitely not blaming him on his goal being to reclaim the stolen land from his people and suffering from a curse that started with their ancestors like a thousand years ago. Is what they’re doing perhaps extreme? Yes but also they’ve been kind of backed into a corner where it’s kind of they’re only option left. They’re considered citizens of the empire but are still ostracised and discriminated against for actions that happened forever ago by their ancestors. His people are literal victims so I don’t really have anything against his character at the moment.
Anyways, my dream scenario for this manhwa is FL retiring and running away with the world tree and living in peace and if we have to have a romance then let it be the second ML after him and his people are treated right.