Especially interesting in the arc right after this one, which is when he finds out who he actually is, cuz this is also when their relationship really starts to ramp up alongside the plot. Mc doesn't really like the ML until like a bit later into the book, (the end of the book when he's ready to fully date him and accept his love) but they do have more open communication and it's less of a master- servant relationship; ML is an ass but he goes out of his way to make sure MC is okay and safe, it just doesn't help that MC is stupid+ distrustful of ML so he thinks he's just playing.
To me, it was kinda like low tide in twilight, in how similarly to taeju, ML goes from red to orange flag and becomes super sweet to MC by the time they date and get married.