There might be some transition going on here. I'm worried if I'm having the right hunch or is jus' me overthinking something.
But regardless, the old man is making gyeol the new candidate for his muse and that'll be too much to take if that were to happen and they're both forced to model for his new art.
Beauty standards really sucks but I do believe that the author is not trying to say that being tan or having freckles is an ugly thing. More like, it's how society really portrays that being called "beautiful" must've mean flawless, clean, pale, and pristine without them coz I believe that really in any royal au, they considered freckles as a dirt permanent on your face or if you're tan, you're not different from commoners since you're supposed to be pale due to not working directly under the sun. Their twisted beliefs are pretty much similar to other plots that talks about "ugly" female leads.









I hate this type of people - who's being selfish when they really don't belong to the picture. Like who are you to decide which one HE should pick when HE wants to be someone HE likes and still you're trying to fit in? Or be a cockblocker to someone's fated partner?
You're not even the father ffs. You're not even the one who's STEPPING up to be the FATHER when the REAL FATHER didn't even gave up on his family. Like tf?
It's clear as day that the child is even rejecting you. Stop being "curious" and stay on your boundary. You're being pushed away BECAUSE. THEY. DON'T. FEEL. THE. SAME. WAY. YOU. DO.
READ THE ROOM, PROSECUTOR! YOU'RE EDUCATED BUT YOU'RE FKING DUMB WITH YOUR SELFISHNESS AND FIXATION TO LEARNING LOVE.