first of all, the main characters: almost everything Allen did was contrary to his description, and the fact that i kept comparing him with Laurent from Captive Prince didn't help (there's no one like Laurent of Vere /cries in veretian); and the high king's stubbornness bordered on stupidity: he didn't act or think like someone who runs an empire. secondly, the politics were sooo boring, i skipped many paragraphs. actually, the external plot in general wasn't compelling. the author made really poor choices, such as physically separating the couple two times (for more than six months in total) even before they could get to know and really fall in love with each other. bc of that, a lot of time was spent on one trying to prove to the other that he's useful and not on the romance itself. also, this was supposed to be Allen and Sarrica's love story, but the man with whom Allen flirted, had sex and actual conversations up until the 30% mark was Sarrica's brother-in-law??? in short, there was little room for genuine emotions, which made the marriage of convenience trope, my second favorite and what kept me reading it, kinda pointless. a shame really, bc forcing a character that resembles a less traumatized Laurent to marry a emperor in grief who does not want him is such a good premise.