Fr. People were way too quick to judge the moment they saw that one of the characters was a child. Instead of actually reading and understanding the story, they let their own prejudice take over—reacting immediately and getting grossed out without any context. That reaction says more about them than the narrative itself. There was never any sexual connotation in any of the chapters where the male lead was a child. The story clearly treats that period with care, focusing on character development, their struggles, and relationships—not anything inappropriate. Assuming otherwise is a complete misreading of the text and a refusal to engage with the story as it’s actually written.
Look. I know age gaps like this are full of ick by default, but this is one of the few times it's been addressed wisely. Specifically Tei has not ONCE blushed in the presence of this child. Not never. The second any pink rises on those cheeks, it'll become weird and we can riot. For now, it's just plot and as green a flag as possible under the circumstances. No grooming charges either cause Tei is quite firm about being the adult in the room and acting as a father/brother figure to Shuraka. Plus Tei for sure perceives his betrothed as the child he is. He sees himself from years ago in the kid; direct parallel to his own life at its worst and sexualizing that seems a bit of a stretch. He really just cares for the young prince in as best a way he can under the conditions of their relationship. Also folks making their rare physical closeness weird, that's cultural, dude. There are a lot of societies where forehead boops are completely platonic and it is clearly being expressed as comfort and assurance. Projecting our old trauma from most other age gap yaois is kinda unfair to this writing cause passed a warranted knee jerk reaction of "EW", it really doesn't apply this manhwa.
Just, have smoke where smoke is due. There are plenty of other stories where this dynamic deserves all the side eye. This is a rare one that really doesn't call for the disdain levied.