Your complaints regarding The Last Wizard sounds more to me like general complaints about that HG than specific complaints about ROs, to be honest, Zyrios. The part about two different NPCs both disliking you because you chose to side with neither of them has happened in some other HGs and COGs as well and, like it or not, this is something that can happen in real life as well, so it’s not excactly unrealistic. And I certainly don’t find it strange that a NPC reacts strongly to another NPC teasing them about the possible unfaithfulness of their spouse.
And, I for one, have never seen any good reason to choose to go back to Earth at the end of that HG. The thing is, you had a quite awful life back on Earth. You were either harassed by your boss, about to get fired from your job, framed and about to get arrested for a crime your boss did commit or about to get a fail on an important paper. And in addition to that, you were a kind of nobody. In your new world you are a respected and maybe even beloved wizard with the opportunity to learn to wield great magic power. If you play your cards right, you will also find love in the new world, among love interests that include two prince/princes and a glamorous soldier and in general someone for just about every taste.
Sure you will face several challenges in the new world, but that’s par de course in almost every kind of Fantasy adventure and the major part of those challenges are challenges that you will face before you have a chance to try to go back to your own world. Sure, you have to stop an invasion before you can find some measure of real peace and I’m not saying that’s something to snigger at, so to speak. But stopping that invasion is absolutely doable(I’ve managed that in most of my playthroughs) and if you’re able to do that, you will get your happy ever after, being a beloved and respected Royal Wizard with huge magical powers, never wanting for anything, likely in a relationship with your chosen RO and if not, I’m sure there will be no lack of other people wanting to get sexually or romantically involved. In short, you’ll get a much happier life than you probably would have if you had returned to Earth. So, to me there is no contest when choosing between staying on in the new world or returning to Earth, particularly if making that choice after stopping the invasion.
And, Hayden Winter, although it certainly doesn’t make the Winter character more likeable to me, I agree that it’s interesting that the character seems to show particular dislike, or even hate, for characters in a happy and committed relationship. I did consider, though maybe not that seriously, jealousy to be at least part of the reason why Winter were so keen on attacking the MC and L. So your other observation may mean that considering that as a possible reason wasn’t that off. Another fact that may support your theory, is that it’s strongly implied that Ruby may have been in love with the captain that Winter killed and although it’s not made clear whether Ruby and that captain were an actual couple or whether that love(if that’s what it was), was more one-sided on Ruby’s part, it could very well be that they actually were romantically involved. If that’s the case, this would mean that Winter has been in a particularly murderous mood, this has been focused on happy couples. An interesting question, then, is whether entering into a romantic relationship with Winter, if it’s possible to enter into a truly romantic relationship with the captain, actually can lead to them softening and being less murderous, since they then have their own partner and so don’t need to feel so hateful of happy and committed couples. Since this will be way of, at least partly, redeem Winter and make the changeling more likeable, that’s something I’m all for. Still doesn’t mean that I will try Winter as an RO. though, I much prefer Leah, Daisy, Oriana and Ruby.
