Who cares tho, I caught up with all the chapters now.
Istg, I bet it's that two-faced lil shit of a duke that the owner of Abel's new body was thirsting after. I'm willing to bet a fortune on that. Especially bc it was mentioned that the duke had the same preference as the former king, blondes with green eyes.
I'm pretty sure the duke thirsted after the previous king's original Regas, the one they must have killed. Remember the Regas he took to the forest wasn't a 'real' one because the moment the king let go of his hand, he got lost in the mist. Besides, it's been 11 years, and the young master that Abel possessed is only 18, which means he was a mere child back then. BUT! I'm sure his new looks will have the duke thirsting after him now, because you're right, he's blond with green eyes.
That'd make so much sense for his character. Through that death he became jaded and greedy for power too, perhaps. After all it's not like he's immortal, this conspiracy might've been going on for generations. His father taught him & perhaps when he realized he could never have that Regas commited to his role in the counsil.
He couldn't (or just didn't) break the wheel, he became part of the machine. At least that's my theory on his character based on your own.
About the Duke thirsting after Abel. I think at first it's gonna dip a lil bit into this cliche where he looks down on Abel bc of the OG twink's behaviour (I can image the guy lowkey harrassed the Duke if that was his actual crush).
But anyway, with Abel's pure, strong heart in the body of a divine looking twink - that's a powerful combo and able to auto-crit the Duke given a little time.
I have to say, after holding my breath and crying for 23 chapters, his new twink form gives me so much whiplash. I just had to pause real bad. I don't understand why it has to be twink - it's ok to reincarnate and possess bulky men, they have a soul worthy of kicking out too, don't be so scared now.