@Silveress It is (at minimum) the third death shown. First was when he died before becoming maria, as the setting. Second was when he died before becoming maria as a flashback about some girl. Third was when he died before becoming maria as a flashback about some brat.
it's more likely he swings both ways, for the simple reason there are more options for hijinx with the MC´s new form.
that or he is not actually sexually attracted to people and only "loves" them for who they are and what they do etc etc....
but that would mean the author actually put some thought into it, and lets be real here, the odds of that is slim to none.
The black-haired woman he was romancing with was a spy sent to kill him. There was a single panel in an earlier chapter where they showed her stabbing him on the battlefield.