I think the problem with this webtoon is the way they jump from one thing to another. Sometimes it feels as if some pages are missing. Or that we have been unaware of skipping a chapter or two. The pacing is all over the place.
I actually had the inkling that Emiel is the ML for a longer time now. He had so much screentime - and there were so many hints about his character, past, personal thoughts and also the time and time again where he was the closest to her (apart from her brother and father).
I think it is natural for her to fall for him - she practically grew up with him as the closest male companion that isn’t a family member. Also, he has many traits similar to the two most important men in her life. And it is psychologically proven that people either seek for someone similar to their parent (if they have a good relationship) or someone completely opposite (if the relationship is bad).
Since Emiel was someone who time and time again swear his oath to her - that he would even use up his life to protect her and also be with her forever - sometime not even a lover would dare say - it is normal for a angst-stricken teenager to fall in love with such words and behaviour (remember, the dark knight was the most well behaved and protective in front of her - enough for others to notice and even get jealous over, e.g. Roy). Their relationship was really deep - it’s just that we as readers haven’t gotten much time to see that because there were so many side characters coming and going and all those unimportant but relationship-deepening scenes happened only with her family. Although I think that Emiel had his fair share of time with her - as he was not family - it looked kinda cringe-ish because he wasn’t family and she was a child.
Remember that many little girls have a crush on older males - that if it was reciprocated would have been a crime (liking the older brother’s best friend, liking the uncle next door, liking the teacher, having a crush on dad - last one is really cringing but we’ve seen so many “Daddy’s Princess” story now, haven’t we).
I think it is not unnormal for Estelle to have feelings towards her knight - I even think it was inevitable for her to have feelings and that now that she grew up those feelings are beginning to take roots. And that her slight interest and ‘crush’ will turn into ‘passion’ and ‘infatuation’ now that she is confronted with the fact that ‘her’ knight could become someone else’s and that he might not be with her ‘forever and ever’. I think she is as much dependent on him as he is on her if not more.
Emiel was okay with her marrying someday and having children of her own (he joked about becoming those children’s bodyguard one day) - so I believe that Emiel wasn’t thinking about her in a romantic way and I believe that it is actually upon Estelle to make him fall for her in that way - because I believe that a man as flaws as Emiel wouldn’t even think that he was worthy enough of her love.
That’s why they made her fall in love first - otherwise they will never fall in love. Just my thinking and reading between the lines though 😋 don’t get angry if you cannot agree with me
I have not read any further than this chapter. So if I’m proven wrong in the upcoming chapters, than so be it.
