First of all, my praises to the author for overturning unhealthy tropes in such a tricky setting with finesse! :D

Even though the romance in this story had every opportunity to deviate into an unhealthy relationship, be it due to the notable power imbalance or societal norms, it manages to stay firmly on the healthy route and ended up giving me cavities from the sweetness on top of it >w<

The story is atmospheric, the pacing is relaxing without feeling slow, and the world building is both unique and fascinating as it introduces us to the wonders of the city of Romallia, where our couple has just arrived.

The MC, Dayatar, is hyperaware of the difference in status between him and his husband, the ruler of their nation, Yashaadu Naj. Dayatar takes every opportunity to firmly adhere to the customs and is noticeably insecure. But as the story goes on, we realize it is because he does not want to let others use it as a reason to deem him unworthy and pry him away from his much admired beloved. Dayatar is also very dedicated in upholding propriety to save his royal husband’s face even as he sneakily circumvents Yashaadu Naj’s suggestions to ignore it all, much to Yashaadu Naj’s constant dismay XD

Throughout the story, Yashaadu Naj keeps making it clear, with both actions and words, that he wants his husband to just be himself and act without being restricted by the customs. He is genuinely considerate and does his best to give back the power Dayatar keeps pushing at him through his submissiveness. And by the way Dayatar keeps looking to his husband for comfort each time he feels unsettled, it’s obvious that he understands how much he is loved and feels safe with Yashaadu Naj.

It’s interesting to see the contrast between how formal, almost oppressive, their relationship must seem from outside and how sweet and adorably wholesome it actually is. These two are so smitten with each other, and the way they show it through their gestures, sometimes subtly, makes me want to squeal~ I was delighted to see that the issues between them were properly addressed straightforwardly and healthily, with maybe some improvements even showing by the end >w<

I could go on and on about how heartwarming their dynamics and interactions are but I’ll spare you the gushing and end it here XD

In short: this is definitely worth a read, especially if warm, healing fluff and good communication in a couple appeals to you~ :D

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