@Kynnath: the manga adaptation is kinda bad, they omitted many details.
In the novel, Maria
didn't want others to use honorifics to her because of her trauma from the previous 5 timelines that she was forced in automode, the automodeMariaBell was a haughty, brazen, arrogant and nasty villainess who treated others like craps and made everyone speak to her in honorifics. In the childhood arc, the novel made it clear that Grey's family (a fallen earl family) was so poor, Grey was 13 (or so i can't remember clearly) at that time, if he lost the job, he would have suffered so bad that his personality twisted
Translation was understandable enough, but the story is all over the place. People who've read the novel are making me want to read too and drop this adaptation.
Everyone is already discussing the pacing/missed plot points, I just want to note Keith's situation - imagine being a new student and then you (a commoner) is placed next to a Prince! Like holy shit, that's a lot to handle 😂