real. in this case, they can't even use the excuse of having low self esteem like most FLs. it's established that early on the MC knows she's objectively pretty.
i'm having a hard time believing she doesn't at least have a hint/theory of what the ML feels for her given how the narrative is telling us she's good at logic and drawing conclusions.
Maybe it's not the self esteem but you forget she's not a modern transmigrated person or what ever. She's in denial because she's a commoner. It annoyed me too but when you think about the mentality of past people where monarchy is still alive that's what normally most commoners will think. It's like thinking a celebrity has a crush on you in modern perspective. It's just unbelievable. That's why even in the early chaps she doesn't consider herself MLs friend since she's a commoner. It's like a pipe dream for them and impossible to even think a commoner can marry a noble.
unfortunately, the 'I'm a commoner, he's a noble' logic is full of loopholes.
During the heydays of monarchy, there were plenty of relationships between commoners and nobles, even more so because of the power disparity. It's the reason why their family trees are often complicated with several lines unaccounted for, because they keep hooking up with commoners. The celebrity - normal civilian logic doesn't hold up as well when you consider that not only is she his personal doctor during his childhood, she's basically the nominated physician for the head of the family (and she's literally been a doctor to other nobles before so the difference in treatment should be glaringly obvious to her adult mind.)
And, let's say we entertain the idea of, sure, she thinks there's no way he has deep genuine affection for her. She should still have the thinking capacity to deduce that he's attracted to and flirting with her.
I'm not annoyed at her assumption that he doesn't like her. I'm annoyed that they don't even make the ML subtle and she's been built up by the narrative as a pragmatic thinker beyond her medicinal skills that she's privy to political schemes but literally cannot put two simple things together: (1) He has stated he does not see me as family but (2) acts extremely affectionate and keeps declaring I am the only person they would act affectionate with.
Look, don't get me wrong. I love, LOVE misunderstandings, oblivious FLs pursued by MLs, and mutual pining. The story doesn't have to be perfect, you don't need to justify something that doesn't actually make sense because people can be annoyed and STILL enjoy parts of it.
Maybe but reading back in earlier chapters it's not that her interaction from her past life with nobles is really that much impressive. She stated the nobles looked down on her and even seek her when they need a favor and even degrade her talents as a doctor. But yeah I don't get the misunderstanding of that and I'm really annoyed with the ML not having a what you call a decent personality. And when you said about the hooking ups of nobles with commoners it's just that. Hooking ups. They use commoners like for pleasure relationships only then frame the commoners as the one who seduces them. So makes really a wedge between two classes even further. The commoners will be always wary of nobles and nobles will look down on commoners. And what irks me more is how the ML wouldn't just explained to his mother like I don't want her as my sister I want her as my wife!. The first time they talked I really felt bad for the duchess and have the passing urge to slap the rude ass out of the ml
I'm getting a little bit annoyed of the mc, she just assumed everything, saying she's smart but didn't realize future may have changed because of her and that she was so slow or like an idiot or something like that about the ml's feelings for her because she couldn't believe about it because it's "not in the future" that she knows of..