The FL was an orphan, had to struggle and work extra hard to overcome her disadvantaged start in life. Due to her courage, resolve, and overall strength of character, Seohyun manages to survive for over ten years in a special forces group made of normal people, in an esper/guide world with supernatural monsters. At an advanced age, Seohyun presents as a guide. An average guide. The government agency she works for tests her guide rating and also discovers that she is a 99% match for a S-rank esper (the ML, Ciel) The two are quickly paired up by the government as a work pair to fight monsters. Since Seohyun is only a B-rank guide, the government's decision pisses off a lot of high ranked guides who would have loved to work with an S-rank esper like the ML. The most pissed off however is the original FL, Seo-yoon, who starts trying to break these two apart.

After working together for a while, the ML proposes to the FL. She, who admires his looks, personal ability, and demeanor, and yearns for a family since she's never had one (orphan) is flattered that her handsome, powerful coworker wants to mary her so she accepts and becomes his wife. Slowly, her initial infatuation grows into love, but it is an unhealthy love because her and the ML's behavior & expectations don't match up. On the surface, the burden of feelings is placed only on Seohyun. The ML, who is also in love with Seohyun, doesn't want to admit his feelings because he is already feeling trapped by his circumstances in this new world (being used as a weapon by politicians and rich people, having almost been subjected to a forced brainwashing/imprinting by the Korean government that Seo-yoon and Seohyun are working for)

Meanwhile, the original FL, Seo-yoon, doesn't stop trying to drive a wedge between the two, maliciously working to lower Seohyun's self-esteem. At a low point in her life, when Ciel loses control of his esper powers, Seohyun decides to do her final duty as a guide and calm him down, even knowing her survival is unlikely.

When the ML wakes up from his rampage, he realizes his wife sacrificed herself for him, is unable to accept this, and the subsequent power surge rewinds time, only this time, Seohyun is in the body of one of the natives of his original world. This is where the story starts.

Secondly, our FL was an orphan and was brought up in harsh abusive conditions which made it clear she had no idea/understanding about true love and affection. How could such a person, with such a dysfunctional life, irrespective of her gender, act like a completely mature, old, wise human being? With no one to guide her in life? Does her being a woman alone, make her be in the pressure that she always has to make correct decisions as per the readers? Not to say maybe we're misinterpreting her intentions and she didn't solely fall in love with the ML because of his looks but because "he looked strong" I. E. Someone who could and would protect her in the world where she was being abused. Maybe because she got that security from her family in her second life, she didn't fall in love with ML as fast as she did in the past.

The ML is definitely toxic in the way he doesn't communicate. But at the same time, ge was forced to do so in the other world, because otherwise his Korean superiors especially Seo Yoon would have used his weakness, the FL, to make him do things. Both of them were definitely not in their right mind in the past, ML being stuck in a completely different world, betrayed with no way to go back and FL with a dysfunctional life. So in my personal opinion I do not blame them.

She has an orphan background but is a former military special squad/elite member

From the limited backstory that we have, he is, at most, harsh with his words. He never cheated or abused her-they just lacked communication

I understand that there was another guide trying to get between the two of them but nothing has indicated he went with her. Yet this moronic female lead, accepts a book from this rival, who she should have at least disliked

is an original occupant of the empire that she transmigrated to. He has also regressed back to when the saint first appeared. He was also tricked into going to the FL’s original world (by the saint who originally came from there) and is desperately trying to get back. He loses control of his mind and abilities because the saint said oopsies, I cant send you back.

his perspective of his wife doesn’t make sense. It’s too positive

He says that she will ignore those she hates and will give everything to those she cares about. But like previously mentioned, she had no immunity against her love rival, the saint, for her husband and takes the saints actions over her husband’s.

Early on when she and her family go to the palace to celebrate her debut, she repeatedly states that they are staying at a run down hotel for commoners. I’m fine with this level of disregard except she talks about how close her family is with their people and how much her family cares for them. But they stayed in a “run down inn for commoners” which pissed me off to no end. F*ck you and your frugal nature if you somehow now think of yourself as better than everyone but still want to be considered a saint

Fake Saint had kidnapped him and government tried to control him. He didn't want her to be seen as his weakness.

ML realizes he needs to show and say how much he cherishes MC because she deserves a caring partner. They had to face their past, accept their flaws, see their present selves, and move forward in learning who they are now and how they want to be treated in a positive relationship going forward.

The saint is low IQ and just wants to be spoiled as the only saint. The temple or high priest is the biggest villain because they know the saint is fake but they want any saint to gain power to their beliefs. The prince isn't a bad guy but he is controlled as he has little defense from being brainwashed.

ML knew the FL is his past wife like very early in the novel.

since he was literally was kidnapped by the fake saintess (although he follows her on his own bcs the imperial family want him to found another guide to back-up the fake saintess that always cross dimension whenever she want.. She said she'll send him back but that's just a lie) The fake saintess also brainwashed the ML saying that FL was a government agent send to spy the ML. In a foreign world where he only know the fake saintess, the ML literally was all alone that's why he's tr*shy.

But after his regression, I think ML became very cautious with his act bcs he can feel that the FL was mad at him (based on her past habit when she was his wife). So, he tried his best to not pissed her off any further. He also try to keep his obsession in check to not displeased her. Ofc, once in a while it leaked and he got scold by the FL.