I get wym bc the vibe kinda shifted a bit after that chapter but at the same time I feel like it kinda matches their character in a way? Like the Mc gives off a “lonely” vibe where he doesn’t feel like he fits bc of his birth in that particular society, so it would make sense that he tries to supplement it with the embrace of another. On the other hand the ML gives off a laconic languid vibe where it would align with his personality since he’s just interested in magic and research - both these character points were enunciated pretty well so it wasn’t out of nowhere but to your point, they didn’t have to unwrap that difference the way they did. Like there could have been a million other ways they could’ve approached it and the way they did is ughhhhhh
The plot was going SO good and then they made one of them a whore while the other is a virgin. He’s already a good cook, a great knight, and has a great personality suited to making the duke smile and bring him out of his shell. There was no need to add another “I can help him in this field too” trope. The fact that he’s a “bastard” son and “doesn’t bother with getting play bc ppl aren’t interested” would’ve been a great coupling to keeping him inexperienced too. Y’all can downvote this but I hate when stories pair the community dick (or town harlot in this case) with someone who hasn’t even rubbed one out by themselves. Either they’re both experienced or neither of them. SMH. T~T Also side note: I’m shipping the Duke’s sister and Ivet lol.