
I know Riftan is being an ass and he sucks for that but also I kind of love it. I don't think I'd enjoy Maxi's growth and her learning to take charge quite as much as I do now if Riftan was acting perfect and automatically supportive. Watching him want to protect her but be stupid about it and watching her want to help and putting her foot down and not put up with his well-intentioned bullshit is great, and I think the conflict between their characters and their desires is fun to see now that Maxi has grown a bit of a backbone.

I agree! I like him more as a character in the setting he's in because of his flaws, and they make a good backdrop to showcase Maxi's strength of character. Obviously in a modern setting he'd be terrible and you'd hate a friend to be dating him, but I think he's "realistic" within the realm of the story. And like you said, if he was perfect, it would be less "Maxi saved herself" and more "Maxi was saved by a big strong man". Nothing wrong with that, but it's definitely a common trope.
It is frustrating seeing Maxi upset though ╥﹏╥

PLEASE. I am praying for Jihyun to be useful again. She had a little power-up where she contributed more than usual and she has been a liability ever since. She helps out here and there but mostly she gets taken hostage or forced back onto the sidelines while a different character steps up to do the heavy lifting. PLEASE give her another training montage or something so she can level up with the rest of her team.

I wish we'd gotten another chapter of Sora grieving and then healing and maybe agreeing to be the witch for a new cat. I don't know. It just seems too sad for the manga to end on "the cat never came home again." Maybe I'm just too much of a dog person and I just don't have the strength of heart to let cats go when they're ready to go.

So, why exactly was Theodore dying from the curse originally? It seems like she loved him. Was it that she didn't truly forgive him? Or were her love and forgiveness not enough to break the curse in its earliest form? Can someone explain?

Theo'e brother/father that they overthtew was cursed, and it was placed on him and his family. ig over generations it developed from just menyal/physical deteriorating to turning into a wolf and loosing humanity.
I think FL beleives Theo to still be under the curse (no longer turning into a wolf but still might deteriorate) because theres no clear confirmation that love cured him.
I was pretty set on wanting Azure to be endgame until this volume. I still like him, but it's never going to work out if he stays as king, because he'll have to put the kingdom first over Nina like he does here. Nina needs someone to support her, and I think Sett does a much better job. That being said, I'm not convinced the author agrees with me. It's hard to think the endgame will be anyone but Azure, considering that the author describes him as "perfect boyfriend material."