The biggest factor why Art rejected her is most likely exactly why he felt uncomfortable with the kiss. While both are *physically* the same age, *mentally* he is still a middle age man and cannot come to terms with it himself.
We saw him questioning this earlier at the auction house, as he tried to figure out why he wasn't attracted to older beautiful women like the queen and others like her, and girls his own age. It's him being conflicted I think by his physical and mental age. So give him a break lol.











This manga is so healing for the heart