However as time went on, their feelings grew. The FL discovered her love for the ML a year after they were married when he gifted her a flower field for their anniversary and blushingly asked if it would be alright for him to hold her hand. It was then that she thought she loved him dearly. However, things are a bit more complex for the ML from what I've read. Everyone he's ever cared for has died, so using the specific words of 'like' and 'love' is hard for him. However, it's obvious he loves her. When the Emperor made threats to dissolve their marriage and potentially hurt the FL, the ML obeyed the Emperor's every word to prevent that, including winning multiple wars.

It was ten years into their marriage that he found out the FL was dying, and he never once left her side, unwaveringly caring for her and supporting her. It really hurt him to hear that she loved him, especially since she was saying that right when he found out that she was going to die. It's so sad that he had to just watch her waste away while completely powerless to stop it from happening.

The way she died was also so sad. She was so weak towards the end, and couldn't even get out of bed, so she asked him to lay down with her and hold her while she slept. He obliged and she fell asleep, whispering to him how much she loved him and how the ten years she spent with him were the happiest she'd ever been. And then he just held her, all through the night as she passed away peacefully in his arms.