you raise a great point, but i feel like the author has been building that up since the few early chapters. idk what chapter it was exactly, but something along she said about callis made it seem like she just settled for him, esp w the whole novel and villainess thing going on (her death), which matches exactly with your point. i think thats the reason why the author had to add the death thing in the beginning bc w how seira was acting (clear fascination and initial attraction to the archduke) and again, what she said, there are readers who would question on how much seira should hold the betrayal over callis' head if not for it. u can say they were still lovers and they still spent time together as such, but the story doesnt seem to want to get into that complexity and wants everything to be clear-cut.
Yea I read em too. I was just disappointed over the plot choices that author-nim made. ☹
To be honest, author made grave mistake in final chapters when they decided to invalidate love that Seria felt for Callis as her mere 'fixation to cling to life or to survive' (and that it was not really love). The fact that it was love made Callis's betrayal even more real and painful like in the beginning of the story. It was unnecessary to add that plot; i.e. as if to spin the love Seria felt for Callis to be worthless.
What author-nim should have pointed out was that Seria's awareness that her love for Rouche actually ran deeper and greater. Such that it could not even be compared to Callis. Her love for Rouche transcended her current life in itself.
That piece of plot was not needed the first place. Other than this, I feel the story actually was quite well made. It was actually an enjoyable read.