Responses
aaah I FORGOT TO ADD SPOILER TAG.
[spoiler]
also i mean it's nice that the duke doesn't just win bc he's a duke. at least there are more reasoning behind it.
beta
jerome is definitely out. Ivan is a good choice but at this point he doesn't have chance as male lead in theory.
If you have a duke and a commoner, most shoujo webtoon will choose the duke right but it's not just that.
Ivan could only win if (1) the duke was an ass (2) natasha really like Ivan to choose commoner over a duke. However the duke has a good personality and Ivan is just a sibling to Natasha.
The rational natasha won't dare to reject a duke by choosing a commoner or anyone of lower status really. At least not until she's sure the duke has given up on her OR if she knows the duke is not the sort of person who will harm her beloved (who knows). but then again Natasha isn't interested in romance anyway. So the only chance she will end up with anyone if there's someone else with a duke status who is different from other nobles who is persistent or patient enough to wait for her. unfortunately there's no one else but we get just one.
conclusion I think author make a rational reasoning of male lead among the candidates. It's nice that