the game was set up so that if you died in game, you died in real life. AKA a death game like in sword art online or a few other mangas
Marino was "killed" by a PK player, but in truth she also died of a terminal illness around the same time she died in game, and it's a bit murky on what killed her first, the game or the sickness
also you have not seen the last off Marino just yet. she will be back just like some other characters from Shin´s past.
In the LN, after the events of the end of Vol 11 (then the quest on Vol. 12) on Vol. 13 Chapter 1 part 2 they finally do the deed... iykwim ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I dont get people calling him dense. He very much knows her feelings but he isnt ready to accept them. And he is not leading her on, like many other MC would- he has been very open about everything(i think).
Relationships arent just about whose genitals are open for business
Well Love is an incredibly messy state of mind and will override rationality as all strong emotional states do. What Shin is describing is essentially the mental effects of Jealousy and strong infatuation. It's not like these effects are rare in Meat Spaces either or exclusive to Otaku Media.
I've thought of this before, but... the mangaka seems bad at drawing girls. He draws girls like guys, makes me wonder if he draw yaoi before. Even Schnee looks like a crossdressing guy in this chapter.
Just why couldn't they use the artist for the light novel, I wonder.