I do like how his friendship with Riku is. Riku already knows of his friend's crush on An, and the fact the girls are friends means he has a fellow guy for when they're all together but dragging the boys out too. But it also means he knows when he's asked stuff it isn't necessarily teasing like...
Freaking knew we'd see Cross again. But it's been years. So long to reach this place.
Also, seems he was right in the end. We may no longer have the same Allen who was going here. But it wasn't Nea's memories causing this but his own.
Consider the Saint's overall value to the kingdom. Rachel mattered but her overall value was likely seen as having diminished when her magical power went. Her family status, the dark spirit, the prince's own feelings, that probably stopped her being replaced by now. Because he still saw worth in...
I think she's definitely starting to get some kind of feelings. Her "I'm serious if you are" I think tells us a lot. That if he's being honest and straightforward with her then she's to respond in kind, even if she's still figuring out what this growing relationship is.
I can see reviews being critical of the topic but audiences here seemed to resonate with it. They can recognise and remember similar feelings from covid times, whereas reviews might be critical of mentioning it at all.
It is interesting how this series took covid and make it a full plot point...
A great performance. Going from having these kind of performances not considered as her most suitable ones to putting on a show that people couldn't take eyes off. Kanade is on top of the world having fulfilled this dream of hers.
I'm curious to see how the next performance goes.