the dissonance between ch. 39 olruggio and the typical olruggio we're used to seeing is so insane like his emotional intelligence and social awareness is unmatched in ch.39. he's actually so impressive lmao.
to start he reads between the lines and immediately clocks the issue with turning the glowstones blue. without the princess having to explicitly tell him.
his charm is off the charts here getting the princess to trust his plan and getting her on board to help him sell it. dropping a knee, all deference.... omg....
he shows a crazy amount of confidence to navigate a pissed off king (who has already yelled at olly for helping out the townspeople when the king is the one paying him). like olly's on thin ice here.
you wouldn't blame a witch for feeling nervous in this situation, for being intimidated by this powerful, rich king. however olly moves with confidence and ease. "this will suffice" is bold, assertive. like... hey, olly.... *tucks hair behind ear*
this grumpy old rich man is already pissed and olly's next move is to dance with his daughter lmao what an insane choice. like... he could just step on the stones and show her dad how it works but no he chooses to make it a show. a performance.
it works wonders and he wins over the grumpy old man AND charms the princess. his clever idea works AND he has the ability to sell it.
the princess is so won over by his intellect and charm that she's like pls stay forever. (very real of her.)
which is another potentially awkward social situation, but olly handles it with poise and grace. he denies the princess' request without offending her. they end up on the same side.
that olruggio of the torch mask is powerful as hell. he navigates multiple complex, potentially awkward social situations with grace and poise.
and then you compare chapter 39. olruggio with... this... olruggio.....
