Im kind of sad. I like Jade for her so much! He knows her so well. It’s frustrating bc I what him to be the ML, but based on the side POV we saw in one of the chapters (a past memory) it is kind of expected that the ml is the grand duke. SHE LOOKS SO GOOD WITH JADE!
@Pach
Well if you don't mind spoilers i can spoil what happens, if not ignore the spoiler tag.
Jade is the ml, riina is the woman at the fountain and the woman the grand duke is looking for, which is why he looked at her strangely, he felt familiarity, the MC ends up with jade and ends up as riina's handmaid if i remember right, riina ends up with the duke as she is the one "chosen by the ring"
These are second hand spoilers but i have no reason to doubt them.
Endgame is definitely Jade. "Second male lead syndrome" is only a problem if the supposed first male lead actually spends more than...three?...short moments with the heroine in 10 chapters.