kyan

Because munreyong said explicitly multiples times he saw Jae as a child, and Jae IS indeed a child not in his intelligenve but in his life experience. At the start of the story he didn't have any memory of his past ; just because he has the logic of an adult he didn't have any knowledge nor experience about anything and Reyong was the one to teach it all to him. You also have the fact that Jae's body used to be one of a toddler, then of a teen, so that didn't help in seeing Jae as a child. Their real ages don't matter when they're mentally and even physically a kid

Still, it doesn't mean their circumstances can be called grooming. Grooming happened when a child thoroughly exposed with false romance while the elder figure has intention for it. Here Paljae might developed attachment towards Ryeong because it is Ryeong who always by his side, but Ryeong never feed Paljae for false romance or has intention for it. Ryeong sees Paljae as a child in adult body, he can never change that impression unless Paljae did something to prove himself is an adult. Being a hot blooded teenager now only make Ryeong more uncomfortable.

However, if the story shows Paljae in adult from with zero memory and knowledge but adult logic like he was in this manhwa, readers won't have a room to call this grooming. Doesn't matter if Paljae actually a 'child' in that adult body since he has zero knowledge or memory. As his mind and logic work like an adult, he will be seen as adult. I bet people will wish for their immediate romance.

This double impression of Paljae, while he actually the same inside, but in different form is like double standard. Its okay if Paljae in adult form but not okay if Paljae started in a child form.

I'm not saying the story HAS grooming lol but if Reyong were to have feelings (romantic) for paljae atm it would be extremly weird because he literally saw him grow and have the body of a baby + like i said constantly remarks on how he's a child. And for the second part it's not really a double standard ? There's an actual difference between Reyong knowing him since forever in his adult form and Reyong watching him grow little by little like in the actual story. No matter if he has the logic of an adult or not it feels creepy as fuck to get with someone who you think of as a kid.

Not really.
This is a matter of perspective. For me, that would be creepy if Ryeong did thought Paljae is an innocent child that didn't know anything and unable to properly decide what is good and what is not. However, the story shows when Ryeong met Paljae (at now timeline) he knew Paljae is a creature that meet tragic fate. Ryeong heard Paljae's sorrow and then cultivated him. Ryeong already know Paljae is not an easy being that death can't easily finished him. Ryeong's effort to bring Paljae to live is successful,but Paljae lost his memory. He is like an empty shell, but not an innocent one as Paljae already has logic of an adult. So Ryeong here didn't really see Paljae as an innocent child, but an amnesiac being that life must not an easy journey. By time the spend together, Ryeong also witness Paljae's nature, his strength, his way of thinking, his behavior, and all. Paljae can't be categorized like human child. Therefore Ryeong has no feeling of raising Paljae like a dad or elder figure did to their junior. For Ryeong, like what he told Paljae when Paljae asked what they are, Paljae is a companion. A friend. Ryeong there to fill the role of a friend that tell the way this world works and how to live within it. That won't be wrong if Ryeong later be swayed to Paljae's persistent of courting.

This is not true. While Reyong does know Paljae is not a human and is not an actual child he calls him a kid literally SO many time and also talks about raising him. Just reread and you'll see it !! Reyong doesn't see Jae as innocent and treats him (probably) more ""harshly"" than he would a human kid, but to him, Jae's ignorance about the world and how it functions as well as himself are very much childish traits

As you talk about re-read, why didn't you properly perceive chap 2 where Ryeong told Paljae that their relationship is friends? Ryeong tired of being the senior figure of dads or masters, so now he wants a friend. For Ryeong, Paljae is this amnesiac friend that he need to tell how the world works and live in it. So, from the very beginning Ryeong already set the line about their relationship.

Ryeong might called him 'kid' or raise the topic about raising, but it's more like a whine of Paljae's destructive demeanor. The very first thing he did when his body succesfully cultivated, he eat some of Ryeong's organ. He then talked about how he cheated death with profane words and pronounciations. This proven Paljae is an adult inside a child body. He has the sense of present and the important of matter, unlike those reborn child. However, this being has destructive nature. Ryeong then treated him accordingly.

This is going nowhere, you just don't accept Reyong sees Jae as a child. Him seeing Jae as a kid and also a companion of equal status is not incompatible, you just can't say he sees him as an adult

You failed to recognize the dynamic between them. If Ryeong just determine Paljae is a child, why is he having turmoil about how Paljae behave now? He can just put a line between them and put Paljae on his place. R u saying Ryeong is just this degenerate person? It is the actual point you try to say, isn't it.

It is indeed going nowhere. You can't accept the perspective I put here as I did yours. Well then, wish you luck.