Okay but think about it this way.. I know the story is portrayed weird and everything, but TECHNICALLY Alois was given every chance to not develop feelings for the duke… he never tried anything with him when he was a kid (bc obviously that would be weird) and he didn’t groom him either. Alois’s wish is the catalyst that changes both their futures. In both timelines, they save each other. There is no Alois without the Duke and no Duke without Alois. Is that last bit of the story where they show Alois as a kid weird? Yes and i won’t deny that, but the art and concept of the story was really good you have to admit. It would definitely be further appreciated if Alois were older though, that I can’t deny, but like I said, I appreciate that he came into his feelings on his own and wasn’t coerced in any way.