The Emperor (I'm invested in his character so this is long))

I'll bfr the Emperor was the most interesting character in this entire webtoon. It's so refreshing to see a potential ML who doesn't fall in love with the reincarnated MC. Heck, it was clear that he's was never a ML potential with how unromantic all their encounters were.

Tbh this Emperor deserved more screentime in the ending as one of the biggest "antagonists" of the whole series and I am feeling bitter over the conclusion.

Putting aside how rushed the last 20 chapters were, the scene where he forcefully kissed MC and wanted to take her to bed was so out of character for him because it's hard to imagine him taking an action that doesn't benefit him. It was even more awkward when he immediately lost interest in her to resolve a political struggle. He saw everyone around him as chess pieces and was optimizing their actions to fit his chessboard. Others saw MC's capabilities and fell in love, but he saw her and immediately thought of ways to utilise her powers for himself. That's why he's a powerful character that had his potential wasted when he was defeated so easily.

I expected him to struggle, but maybe the author wanted to imply that he felt caged in the palace and wanted to leave(many metaphors). It would make sense since MC's last words were for him to lay on the bed if he wanted to die a dignified death. I always thought it's weird how easily he was killed by his wife in their past life, and stabbed by his sister in the current. I assume he has his guards down around family members and was seeking death.

He's a morally gray person and no one can deny that he was a capable king- he doesn't have MC's buffs nor reincarnation like the MC but still ruled over the lands. He's a bad father, but can we agree that MC was also a horrible mother? They are both people of extreme power driven by circumstances, but he never directly killed any of his children nor wives even whilst knowing they want to dethrone and kill him. It was never expanded what made the ex-Empress run from the palace, but in the end he tore the rebellion letter so there wasn't any evidences left.

His sister hinted that he was an unloved prince who received twisted love so he don't understand how to show love properly. It's obvious he had a rough childhood and I'm really curious what made him so apathetic but rational enough he didn't become a tryant. Really hope there will be extras of him. It's ironic that the 3rd prince hated his mother, the crown prince hated his father, but the villain mother has a 2nd prince and best friend who loves her in both lives. At the end of the day, only the Emperor is dying loveless.

P.s Although I'd have loved Rohan as the ML, the crown prince dislike him and he is extremely loyalty to the Emperor. That scene where Rohan raised his sword at her for the Emperor while Vlemir protected her was a huge foreshadowing. Their rs chart is pretty straightforward.