I'd like to offer a different perspective than all of the angry apes throwing shit at each other in this comment section.
First of all, I too am disappointed in Saraki, but not because he "fumbled". What y'all need to understand is that HE DOESN'T LIKE HER IN A ROMANTIC SENSE, at least not yet...
... I actually prefer this pairing, maybe it's because I'm approaching that age you start to appreciate hard working and mature people more than youthfulness
So the humans just robbed the so called "demons" (which are really just many unrelated creatures that they lumped together as a common evil) from their land, drove them into a tight confined space, heavily armored the borders, and when they fight back and try to reclaim what was rightfully...
So... If she was going to forget everything either way, and if he was going to confess and start fresh with their relationship either way.... Why stall for like, 20 chapters?