Ch. 38 canters through a side-branch that would be a whole fleshed out book in another world - but here's its just a brief flashback to add context.
Admirable.
Knocking the king out to have a moment of peace? Absolutely on brand.
Giving a "literary gift" is like a prime example of everyone doing their respective sensible thing and still ending up in smoldering mayhem.
Terrific.
And what if she takes the gift to mean he wants to marry her? She'll be on that like butter on toast.
She'll be like "I agree out of respect"
and he'll be like "lucky me, she found the gift agreeable"
and everyone is none the wiser
I do have to wonder - what was his plan with that wardrobe going forward. just reinforce that door until he moves?
there's no honor in being taken out by a trash avanlanche of your own making.
Yes, of course Alex will be out for 2 weeks and Victoria is stalking the premises. Just like a proper cold duke of the north would.
Please tell me she at least froze that whole damn palace into one big classy icecube. Give 'em a taste of winter.
"I believe in his stupidity"
Nations have been founded on less.
Oriana's father pointing to his own face wide-eyed?
That'll get me through this murderous work season. That'll get me trough A LOT
Oh she'll say yes, to his surprise and misguided delight, and whats-his-name will have a whole bout of misguided jealousy about it (that's not what's happening mate, what IS happening should worry you much more and NONE of that has anything to do with her romantic feelings that aren't to be found as of yet)
And we'll probably see more of Illian, who was the most uncomfortably creepy puppy-character I had the misfortune to witness. Man is his own yandere villainess.
"You KNEW??!!
STILL being the origin of so many misunderstandings because everyone keeps just too many fucking secrets to keep track of...
wonderful.
If I had a dime for every time the "coldhearted Marquis" had the emotional range of freshly mashed potatoes, I'd be FUCKING RICH.
"what could she possibly misunderstand"
You mean from the premise that she was chosen as a perfect breeding tool from BOTH SIDES with that being her only selling point, figuratively AND literally? The summary of how you both got to know each other fit in 4 panels including marriage?
So far nothing definite was even exposed via story ASIDE from the breeding part, so the possibility of everyone being an unreliable narrator notwithstanding, there's so much room for misunderstandings, several couples could waltz in there, simultanously.
This Forest Master is fantastic
And she's right. What HAVE the adults been doing.
But this Forest Master is also fantastic.
(Actively scritches her totally reasonable rant into a wall so that doofus of a king has a taste)
"I think I'm going to be eaten"
ah. ahm.
very. very. likely.