I usually hate second MLs but I do think in this story it serves an interesting thematic purpose. Most revenge stories aren't written for happy fluffy romances. Charlize picked revenge and picked a very dangerous person to use for that revenge. She isn't doing this to make the country better or stop anyone from being turned into swords ever again she's just doing it because she is filled with hatred and anger. Thematically a toxic love works better for that kind of toxic mindset.
She could just drop everything now end up with Kahu get married and live a happy life away from her shitty family and the mess of the royal family. But she is ACTIVELY choosing to go a dark road and with that she's going to face consequences. Her rejecting Kahu sort of symbolizes rejecting happiness and moving on and instead choosing hatred and revenge. Kahu is kind he cares about her he never gave up on her and would have been her happy ending in her previous life. She knows this but she doesn't care. She is too twisted by her trauma and instead is committed to jumping into the fire and using the ML who she KNOWS is going to be a bloody tyrant. She KNOWS he will hurt people if he is in charge. She knows he will probably hurt innocent people too. She doesn't care about these consequences so falling into a toxic relationship is just another casualty of her pursuit of vengeance. Totally not a healthy relationship but it is what makes the story interesting and spicy also why this is fun as a story but should NEVER be idolized as a real life romantic ideal.
I usually hate second MLs but I do think in this story it serves an interesting thematic purpose. Most revenge stories aren't written for happy fluffy romances. Charlize picked revenge and picked a very dangerous person to use for that revenge. She isn't doing this to make the country better or stop anyone from being turned into swords ever again she's just doing it because she is filled with hatred and anger. Thematically a toxic love works better for that kind of toxic mindset.
She could just drop everything now end up with Kahu get married and live a happy life away from her shitty family and the mess of the royal family. But she is ACTIVELY choosing to go a dark road and with that she's going to face consequences. Her rejecting Kahu sort of symbolizes rejecting happiness and moving on and instead choosing hatred and revenge. Kahu is kind he cares about her he never gave up on her and would have been her happy ending in her previous life. She knows this but she doesn't care. She is too twisted by her trauma and instead is committed to jumping into the fire and using the ML who she KNOWS is going to be a bloody tyrant. She KNOWS he will hurt people if he is in charge. She knows he will probably hurt innocent people too. She doesn't care about these consequences so falling into a toxic relationship is just another casualty of her pursuit of vengeance. Totally not a healthy relationship but it is what makes the story interesting and spicy also why this is fun as a story but should NEVER be idolized as a real life romantic ideal.