Actually not as outstanding reputation as you think. Since his academy days, he was a loner as he was born as illegitimate child. He doesn't had friends either, only has FL. He rarely shows himself in society & only went to fight wars all those years, while still searching for FL & the baby.
(He actually tried waiting for her in the rain 5 years ago, but she never showed up. But after FL's sister, that introduced herself to him as being a friend to her rather than sister, visited him & told him that Sierra was taking care of a baby & he won't be able to find her. Is what made him go search for her instead all those years).
Of course he was being overjoyed to finally have found her & the 5 yro child. He was afraid of loosing her again.
SPOILER:
Those who read the novel are saying that:
The baby actually really is his & the FL. For some reason the sister took her from the future. I don't know any further detail except that
The ML is so unattractive, I didn't read all the current chapters but I see no point in doing so. Clingy ass ML that the FL fucked years ago on a drunken mistake can't get over her (incel mentality) and decides to stalk her, assume the kid is his, pay for stuff behind her back, keep insisting on staying by her side when she said no repeatedly... Like, what's attractive about that? If he couldn't get any other women for years despite his good looks and outstanding reputation, then obviously the problem lies with him