The Military Female Soldier With Unwavering Stubbornness Chapter 318 Discussion

First time reviewing a novel because I'm having such complicated thoughts. The usual rebirth and revenge plot feel satisfying enough, and in fact are quite fun to read, if a bit generic and over the top. The antagonists are evil, some people get redeemed, and the people that are on the MC's side are all good.

The only thing I have a problem with is the romance.

Now, at the beginning of the story when the MC and ML meet, MC is very underage and ML is like...18? Their age difference isn't too bad, but fact of the matter is that the MC is underage. The descriptions as she gets a bit older (around 13-14?) of when the ML is looking at her make me feel very uncomfortable instead of "oh how cute, he's in love".

Spoiler

Prior to meeting the MC, it's said that the ML was "basically asexual" in that he had no interest whatsoever in the opposite s*x. But the way he describes the MC makes me feel like he just didn't realize he was actually a pe*ophile before meeting her. But maybe I'm just overreacting.

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There are some glaring plot holes to force "cute romantic events (?) " into the story, but since Spoiler

the MC actively states in her monologue that she really isn't interested at all in ML and is just uncomfortable with his advances, it overall just makes him seem kinda creepy tbh. Even if he's "so hot" and all that, the point is: she doesn't like it, so back off.

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Spoiler

There's a scene in which one of the MC's mentors kinda confronts the ML about it, but he makes some bullsh*t excuse saying that "she has to get used to the other s*x if she wants to work in the military". Umm... she was getting along perfectly fine with other soldiers that she was training with, according to previous parts of the story. She's clearly just uncomfortable and embarrassed by ML's unwarranted s*xual advances. But hey, I guess that will be a problem in the future, since she'll be working with men who will impose unwarranted s*xual advances on her.... right? ML is a bigshot, so he isn't being unprofessional in touching/pinning her down for longer than required even though he noticed her identity and just wanted to....eat some tofu? In the ML's monologue, he clearly states that he wants to make sure she knows that "such a strong, handsome, and great guy like him is around", so she won't be able to like any other guy because she saw him first. Is it just me or does it sound like he's trying to.......groom her? At that point, hearing him constantly call her "little fox" or whatnot really just sounds downright creepy.

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As for the glaring plothole: Spoiler

It's the scene in which she's injured and she wakes up to him half-naked because he's changing in her tent. Like, there's so many tents around the encampment, and plenty of female Tibetans to nurse MC if needed. Why the hell did they let this guy change in the ONE TENT with an UNCONSCIOUS AND INJURED GIRL in it??? I really have to call bullsh*t on that. Honestly.

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Maybe in the later chapters, the romance will develop better so it doesn't feel like the ML is forcing himself (albeit slowly) on the MC, but until then, I can only really think: yikes, this doesn't look consensual at all. But hey, 'tis the typical relationship with an "overbearing CEO ML", right?

TL;DR: Underaged MC isn't interested in adult ML, but ML continues his advances rather aggressively and comes off kind of creepy and pe*ophilic.

Sorry for the long (kinda) rant, but I had to get that off my chest (am I the only one who thinks this?) . Regardless of that part of the romance, the story does seem rather interesting and I'm curious to see how the MC develops from here on out (provided I can get past the scenes with the ML). There's nothing wrong with a bit of an age gap, but please, at least wait until she's of age (and is okay with it) before you start touching her more than necessary?