beta
He is reprehensible. There is not even one redeeming quality about the man. There is nothing he can do to make me like him. Because of that ring and what Jehee is doing nothing MC does will be truly consensual, even if he thinks it is. Jehee is using punishment and reward to train him, the MC's affection will never be genuine. It will be trained behavior and self preservation so this can never be a consensual relationship on a equal footing with mutual respect. Even if the ring is removed and the MC is given a 'choice' the training has already happened so the relationship is forever tainted. You can see the punishment already affecting his unconscious behavior, his brain is literally being rewired to believe his survival is dependent on pleasing Jehee. In real world situation with similar brainwashing, a person can come to believe that their tormentor only has their best interest at heart and if they don't understand why the punishment or reward is happening, it's just that they don't understand yet. If you don't explain the rules and keep a person trying to guess what they did right or wrong, you leave them off balance. A 'punishment' without explanation, is ineffective unless your intention is to break the person down and conform them to your will. If he had no control over and it was actually based on his genuine mood, he still couldn't be forgiven, but he couldn't be fully to blame for mentally conditioning the MC.