You're very on point with this analysis! Moreover, Shuraka hasn't even provided Tei with any concrete reassurance all this time (and even if he has done something for Tei, he hasn't told him about it) and he's even kind of avoiding him (doesn't matter that he's doing it to protect Tei) so it makes sense that Tei is losing confidence. Just making him his Empress (although he probably did become Emperor for that very reason) and whispering sweet nothings doesn't prove anything to Tei. And to top it all off, he's considerably older AND a man, that too scarred and muscular unlike all these curvy, feminine conventionally beautiful concubines so he can't even beat them in beauty, so what else does he have going? There's no need for his wits (yet). He has nothing to do all day. He's alone in a foreign land.
Thanks a bunch you put everything I'm trying to say into words perfectly (づ￣ ³￣)づ
So this chapter got me doing some thinking and I would like some other perspectives. Normally in plots like this, when there's harems, bunch of past lovers or even present lovers I normally kinda know they can't hold a candle to the mc. But the sheer difference between these concubines and the mc got me feeling a little strange. Ik the seme probably doesn't even want them but it like yeah, they look so beautiful and soft and the main concubine they focused on is polite makes me understand way the uke would be self conscious. And I know this is a lot of analysis for a few panels. But I feel like a lot was said with very little actual content. That or I'm too sleepy lmao.