In the novel, the one sided Ness was more in the beginning. Toward the end and more into the side stories, he accepts the king but doesn't wholeheartedly believe the king truly loves him until later. It's one of those ending where you don't really know if illic truly loves the king and that's why he stuck around because he never answered it in the end lol
i think they are handling it differently in the manhwa. In the novel his feelings are wishy washy but i mean u can tell just by looking at subtle things that illic likes the duke, im also 100% sure illic knows duke loves him. There was a scene where i think they were doing it or smt and illiac was blushing at how the duke was looking at him, eyes full of love
idk why but their relationship doesnt seem one-sided to me. I mean this chapter bro was thinking about things at the festival and always thought back to silver hair.
ex. when the prince and his gf were holding hands he mentioned how silver hair couldnt do that because his partner is...? HIM. In a way he envy's them holding hands u can tell by his face tbh
ex. when he was feeling hot and in general thought about stuff to do at the festival, he imagines them all with silver hair, the fireworks.
ex. his ears turning red when silver hair kisses him
ex. him saying he doesnt hate what silver hair does, he wholeheartedly doesnt hate it too cuz he had no voice saying 'fuck you" or smt like that in his head
this is lit just stuff from this recent chapter alone yall gotta read between the lines sometimes illic isnt the type to stright up say i love you (he was like this with the girl before he met silver hair too)