If you actually had basic empathy and not whatever selective blindness you’re using right now, you’d understand how damaging it is for a child to be told “get that thing out”. That’s not a misunderstanding, bruh. This emperor man made a wound. And pretending otherwise just makes you look dumb. You’re judging this situation from the outside while completely ignoring Philomel’s lived experience, the fear, the humiliation, and the emotional scar that didn’t magically disappear just because this supposed father for her decided to care later.
The fact that she doesn’t resent him isn’t proof that he was a good father, it’s proof she was forced to mature early to survive emotional neglect. That’s heartbreaking, not wholesome grrr. If he truly cared from the start, he wouldn’t have allowed the maids to mistreat her, Nor would he have ignored her existence until she conveniently changed into someone more acceptable. His affection only came after her forced character development, the stage where she became acceptable for him, which doesn’t erase the damage already done.
Another thing, just cuz he's an emperor doesn't mean it's an excuse for his neglect . History literally disproves that. There were kings like Henry IV of France who ruled entire nations and still let their children climb on them and ride on their backs. Power never stopped people from being present parents. Neglect is neglect, emotional neglect is abuse too, and no amount of late-stage redemption erases that. Defending a grown man’s feelings over a child’s trauma isn’t maturity or media literacy, that's just your willful ignorance bruh.
You're the one who should grow up, media illiterate idiot.
Ikr? I like the emperor. Yes he made mistakes and was awful in the past but he’s changed so mu ch and most of Phil’s fears came because she read a book that she thought was her future but it turned out to be fake
Saying I should grow up and calling me media illiterate when you’re the real immature media illiterate one is hilarious. I do have empathy and maturity, hence why I can feel for both Phil and the emperor. I never once excused his actions, I said he isn’t the same man from “the original novel” and from the start. Someone that was truly evil wouldn’t regret his actions or do his best to change. Being mature and media literate is understanding that he is literally an emotionally constipated man that just finished losing the love of his life and was drinking himself to forget the pain. In doing so he treated Phil horribly - yes not once am I denying that - but when he started opening his heart to her and beginning to think for himself and not the character the author created him as, he changes from the man he was and becomes better for Phil. Is he suddenly the best father of the year affectionate as hell? No, and one shouldn’t expect that from someone that literally said how his childhood and life was. But he undoubtedly cares for Phil and wants only the best for her. His affection is literally higher for Phil than his own biological daughter. Please grow some brain cells and think before speaking
Exactly!!!
Sigh...
No, and this is exactly why I’m calling your take sloppy. I was never talking about the original novel or the prophecy book Philomel read (or the version of him in the novel sh read). That was you putting words in my mouth bruh. I’m talking about the beginning of the manhwa itself. From the start of the manhwa, he was emotionally neglectful, verbally cruel, and completely absent. That’s canon. It was shown as a memory to Philomel tf. You don’t get to rewrite that just because he improves later.
You keep insisting you’re not excusing his actions, but then you immediately explain why they’re understandable, forgivable, and outweighed by his growth. That is excusing them. His grief, alcoholism, and terrible upbringing explain his behavior, they do not soften the damage done to a child who had no agency, no protection, and no choice but to adapt. Once again ha, Philomel was a child!
And no one is denying his character development. The issue is that Phil only receives care after she changes to survive him. That’s not wholesome parenting bruh, that’s a fucking delayed redemption arc. Liking who he becomes doesn’t erase who he was when she needed him most. If you can’t separate growth from accountability, that’s not media literacy, that’s bias. Did you even read? Tsk
When I first started this I saw everyone calling the emperor a bad father and genuinely thought I was going to see some villainous shit. But he genuinely cares for her? Even more than his biological daughter? Yall lack media literacy and maturity if you actually think he’s one of the worst fathers out there. I wish I had Eustis as a father. He cares about Phil, always takes her side, wants to support her in whatever she does. He literally doesn’t let anyone disrespect her. He isn’t the same alcoholic uncaring father the author originally wrote him as. You can separate OG Eustis from the current Eustis and understand current Eustis is trying his best as someone that obviously didn’t grow up with a good example of parents and family.