I don't know about you guys but I just feel like he's not THE bad guy... like- I think he'...

Maybe he *is* also a reincarnation, but instead of from the "regular" world he was sent back in time with his memories of the future?

Maybe he was in love with the empress the first time and was heart broken at her fate so he went back to try and change it?

Could explain his oddly insistent speech about protecting her no matter what.

He wasn’t in the original novel though right?

No, but the Nobel was from the "main characters" POV. If he had been in love with the "villainess" originally, had no interest/reason to meet the black eyed girl, and had a strained relationship with his brother than I'm not surprised he wasnt a main character in the book.

I mean technically by this point he still hasn't met "the main character" right? So if this was from her POV again he wouldnt be in the book yet.

I'm I making sense? , I'm kind of a rambler so not sure if my thought is getting along.

Your saying he could have been in the book just wasn’t mentioned. And in the original novel he wouldn’t have been introduced at this point in time and that’s why she doesn’t know of him. Is that right?

Your perfectly fine, so am I!!

If that is what you meant I think it would be an interesting take, and def possible.

Yes on the first one but no on the second. More...if the novel was written like this (black eyes gets there and is trying to get with the emperor and the empress is super nice to her) than by this point in the book she has no idea the brother exists and thus if we were reading it from her perspective we would have no idea about him.

Basically like being introduced to your friends partners after literally never hearing about them. Your friend still has a life outside of you, you know?