wait, wdym gay? the male characters are like obviously bi? anyways people in the past didn't have the same view of sexual orientation as we do.
I mean the fetishization of the gay relationships between the duke and the baron is weird but this is fictional. Same thing happens in "Kiss Him Not Me". But like how do I say this, in ancient sparta, I believe wifes would cut their hair short to appeal to their husbands since the men fucked each other while in battle.
"In Sparta [...] the cropping of the bride’s hair and transvestism likely aimed to transform her temporarily into an adolescent Spartan boy – a less threatening figure to the groom, who probably had made his own transition to adulthood via a close emotional and sexual relationship with an older male and was now in the position to sexually initiate other boys into Spartan society."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_ancient_Sparta
anyways societal norms be dammed. Also people keep on mentioning that the sex is non con because of the arranged marriage. Well wouldn't that like apply to most people in that world not just them? Don't read it if you don't like the setting.
Also you could argue that the sex is non con from the ML's perspective too, just society expects him to initiate it. They're gonna need an heir anyways.
NOW this is fetishization. as a bl reader I have NEVER wished to get in between any of the gay relationships I have read soly based on the fact that i acknowledged that they're gay and that I enjoy the love content between the TWO of THEM. Just that. I never wish or think on how the gay character would be with a women cuz once again I acknowledged the fact that they're gay. Mangas with Fujoshi will ALWAYS bother me and anger me cuz why tf do you be turning a supposed gay character in the story to straight just for YOU. And yes, in the "story" he falls in "love" with her with time, but that's not the point, the point is that a women who is a Fujoshi actually took the time to write this fetish fantasy and make it into a book and so many people eat that sh*t. And cuz of that, so many people think us BL readers are like this. This is why at one point gay men were also thrown off by us women that read bl cuz they also thought this is how we think. I really wish mangas like this would stop being made cuz it's not good. If you don't understand my point just think of it the same way as a men wanting to be in between a lesbian relationship cuz they think it would be "HOT"