In the novel, the one sided Ness was more in the beginning. Toward the end and more into the side stories, he accepts the king but doesn't wholeheartedly believe the king truly loves him until later. It's one of those ending where you don't really know if illic truly loves the king and that's why he stuck around because he never answered it in the end lol
I think the manhwa shows that too both love each other but the king more
Well not really love ( whatever those feelings are) ╮(￣▽￣)╭
i think they are handling it differently in the manhwa. In the novel his feelings are wishy washy but i mean u can tell just by looking at subtle things that illic likes the duke, im also 100% sure illic knows duke loves him. There was a scene where i think they were doing it or smt and illiac was blushing at how the duke was looking at him, eyes full of love
WHERE DID YOU GET THE NOVEL?!?!?! WHERE CAN I READ THE NOVELLLL!!!?!?!?!
Is the name of the novel the same as the comic?
Ya'll don't know anything about Pavlovian responses and how being forced to be around around someone for 10 years can really change how you mentally view that person lol
Also, Illic was only like that with that woman 'cause he didn't love her. He never loved anyone 'cause he just wanted to relieve his sexual urges with them. He wasn't looking for romance, he just wanted to get his dick wet lol
Also, ya'll are quick to forget how brutal Sa-yan has been with Illic this entire time.
They're "relationship" literally started with Sa-yan blackmailing Illic for killing a man that attempted to rape him. Proceeded to rape Illic multiple times. Threaten him some more. Kidnap him. Nearly get him killed on multiple occasions AND Sa-yan also has to fight the voice in his head that wants to basically kill Illic-- which results in him brutally fucking/basically raping the poor guy.
Yeah, my brain would be fucked, too if I had to endure that shit for a decade lol
tbh thats 100% valid, but the thing is illic showed signs of liking the duke before the 10 year time skip so u cant really say that he likes him cuz of a stockholm syndrome type of situation, even though that man has put him through hell and back-
I am pretty sure the author said whether their feelings are mutual or not is up to the reader. Nothing is confirmed or denied. You can see it however you want. I don't think this manhwa was ever trying to be realistic, tbh. Their relationship is very purposely fucked up and the ending is ambiguous.
"Can't really say it isn't Stockholm syndrome" and your reasoning is that you *feel* like Illic liked Sa-yan pre-timeskip??
Even tho that was when he was being brutally raped, kidnapped and confined? He was being blackmailed for defending himself against a different rapist and ya'll think him bending the knee to Sa-yan for protection is love lol
I really don't care whether their relationship is toxic or not. One of my fave characters in a game I play actively locks your character up in a dog kennel and rapes you for days while forcing you to perform household chores till they can trust you again. It's really not skin off my dick whether a story is problematic or not.
What I can't understand is ya'll gaslighting yourselves into thinking that this isn't Stockholm syndrome and what Illic feels for Sa-yan couldn't be anything other than love lol like, I wouldn't be thinking about killing myself almost every single day to get away from the supposed person I love. Illic is mentally fucked 'cause he knows death is the only way to escape Sa-yan, but he isn't even allowed that 'cause he gets lil to no time to himself.
I just don't understand why ya'll think this is love of any kind lol
And where is this stated?
And yes, their relationship is fucked, but I don't believe the "their feelings are up for interpretation" works here seeing as we have a very clear psychotic abuser and his suicidal captive. The whole thing starts with Illic defending himself against a potential rapist ONLY to get raped repeatedly by the man promising "protection" but it's clearly blackmail. Sa-yan doesn't even really love him at all pre-timeskip and we're only meant to glean that somehow he does afterwards? Like, him sexually abusing and keeping Illic captive is somehow ok in this series just 'cause the author was like "idfk guys I just wanted to write a story with fucked up rape and incest I don't really care if they are in love or not by the end of it" lol
I have yet to see a convincing argument or any evidence that points that these two are mutually in love with one another. And like I stated in my other reply I really couldn't give two flying fucks if this series is problematic or not, it's just baffling that so many people are excusing the fact that Sa-yan is a psychotic serial rapist that has driven a man so deep into a depressive spiral that he doesn't even care that his body is being ravaged any more. He's just waiting to die atp lol but sure, that's mutual "love" I guess.
In the author's twitter and who is excusing Sayan? Literally everyone agrees he is a psychotic rapist The point is how exactly the author of the series treats the assault itself. The entire foundation of it starts from an assault. The author has not been treating the assault seriously at all. I am not the author lol. You need to ask that question to the author as to why he inserted all that. I didn't write this, you know.
idk why but their relationship doesnt seem one-sided to me. I mean this chapter bro was thinking about things at the festival and always thought back to silver hair.
ex. when the prince and his gf were holding hands he mentioned how silver hair couldnt do that because his partner is...? HIM. In a way he envy's them holding hands u can tell by his face tbh
ex. when he was feeling hot and in general thought about stuff to do at the festival, he imagines them all with silver hair, the fireworks.
ex. his ears turning red when silver hair kisses him
ex. him saying he doesnt hate what silver hair does, he wholeheartedly doesnt hate it too cuz he had no voice saying 'fuck you" or smt like that in his head
this is lit just stuff from this recent chapter alone yall gotta read between the lines sometimes illic isnt the type to stright up say i love you (he was like this with the girl before he met silver hair too)