I wish we got more moments between the MC and his family, even if it's just flashbacks to his few lucid childhood moments. Sadly, due to the multiple rebellions and wars the MC's kingdom faces, he and his relatives are too busy to talk much about personal matters and are sometimes literally on different sides of the country.

Their romance happens in the background, since this book is first and foremost a war epic. However, they actually have a long past together. They're the reason the gods and hell are asleep: thousands of years ago, the MC made a deal with the ML so that he could establish his own kingdom and free humanity from the control of higher creatures (gods, dragons, etc.).

Of course, the MC and ML wins. HOWEVER, the MC loses a lot in the process. He has to make multiple difficult choices and sacrifice the people he cares about. The ultimate villain is smart and goes toe to toe with the MC.

The battles in this story are not just fought with soldiers, but also with craftsmen, historians, astrologers, and other skilled people. Both the villain and MC have access to countless historical records that allow them to figure out bits of each other's plans and powers. They also have astrologers who can somewhat predict the future (it's complicated, their powers are also not OP). However, it is ultimately up to the villain and MC's own brains to predict what the other would do and strategize accordingly.

The MC, in particular, gains equal footing with the villain despite having far fewer soldiers because of the new weapons he develops by supporting "heretical" and "crazy" scientists and witches. He sincerely believes that humanity should be masters of their own fate and will not hesitate to use people no matter who they are.

The ML is literally a devil so he actively disdains humanity except for the MC, who he considers special.

When I say the MC will do everything for his kingdom, I meant Kingdom. He will never hurt his people for his own sake, but his vision is on the long-term progress and survival of his country. He won't hesitate to kill disobedient subjects (noble or commoner) if they get in the way of his reforms or the greater good. When he put a port blockade because the black plague popped up in neighboring countries, he executed everyone who tried to sail anyway. When his city became obviously indefensible since the enemy army was much larger + city was on flat ground, the MC ordered the army to abandon the locals and move to a much easier to defend mountain fortress. The reason was simple: if the army died, the whole country would fall. Sacrificing a portion of the country is better than having the entire thing be sacked.

These choices are cruel but crucial to the MC's victories. As his uncle says, the King cannot be chivalrous or kind. He must be the King. He must think of the Kingdom as a whole. For the sake of the Kingdom, anyone and anything could be sacrificed.

I know the author is trying to build up to the ultimate showdown between the Monarchy and Theocracy, but it is being dragged out so much that I don't really want to waste my time waiting for the conclusion anymore. The actual Angel vs Devil fight was also anti-climatic and disappointing.