Empress Cesia Wears Knickerbockers — Chapter 39

Oh boy, Chapter 37 of Empress Cesia Wears Knickerbockers really pulled on some heartstrings! The biggest topic dominating the comments? None other than our beloved second male lead, Lester. 🤧

Readers are feeling major "second male lead syndrome," showering Lester with sympathy after this chapter seemed to confirm his romantic feelings for Yuri. They praise his kindness and support, declaring him the *real* ML for them. ❤️

However, not everyone is rooting for the ship. A significant portion of the comments expressed discomfort with the age gap (around 12 years) and, more importantly, the fact that Lester knew Yuri since she was 13 and essentially acted as a mentor/guardian. 🤔 This history makes many readers feel the romantic dynamic is weird or even "gross," particularly since Yuri herself seems to view him more like family and isn't romantically interested. 🙅‍♀️

There's a lively debate: is the age gap creepy because of their history, or is it okay since they are both adults now and he didn't fall for her when she was a child? Some also defended the first ML, Aenon, arguing readers are too harsh. Ultimately, Lester fans are bracing for heartbreak, while others are relieved the story seems to be heading in a different direction. Poor Lester, indeed! (⁠个⁠_⁠个⁠)