It's been a while since I read this, but wasn't the Emperor supposed to be a master of both the sword and magic?? Defeating assassination attempts since he was a child. A blood-thirsty tyrant of the battlefield. Yet, people keep sneaking up behind him and bashing his head in -- what happened to his sense of awareness??
Was Benjamin a reincarnation of the first Ferdinand?? It would make a lot more sense if it had been the case as I don't see how he too was obsessed with Yvonne/Eve.
Time Skip: Did they change the people's perception about black haired people?? Evidence required.