beta
I read the novel ages ago, back when serialisation has just started of this manhwa, and what I remember is this: Ilay never changed, there was no character arc for him. Which is realistic I guess. People like him don't change. He just adjusted a little bit, but what bothered me TILL the end of the story is that Taeui never once enjoyed sex with him - not once. They've toned it down a lot for the manhwa but in the novel - not once was it not forced and painful and traumatic for him, even after they got together.
This might be the only bl I have seen in which Ilay was a psychopath all the way through, he wasn't humanised, he wasn't transformed by the power of love and friendship lol. I guess this is why I kinda liked the story but mostly it was an acid trip.
My favourite arc would be is the angst arc of course. That shit gets me in every damn toxic story. The angst and chasing arc and missing you to moon and back and "you are mine" etc. Ilay is a psychopath and personally wouldn't wish him on my worst enemy but he certainly makes for an entertaining read.
I feel bad for Taeui so much. He literally gets kidnapped to be away from Ilay and avoids getting rescued by him because he knows he will get raped again or worse captured by Ilay for running away from him. That shit broke my heart. Holding off reading the manhwa, but I'd suggest readers to go for the novel, the atmosphere of the novel is pretty entertaining nd imaginative- like locations and plot twists and etc.