A prince is just a higher form of a count, just a more difficult opponent. And yet, there's this kind of openness and genuineness to this prince. Like he's very earnest and honest, far too easily trusting, but with a prince (or anyone really) that is such a beautiful quality. It can be misused by someone else easily, but is raw and genuine and vulnerable all at once too.
Kihal is a little endeared, a little stooped, a little baffled, and yet she's also finding herself caught up in just the honesty and realness of who he is. His willingness to earn her trust too; the way he willingly fights for it, puts his all into it, to help her out, to help Yuris Island out, to help others out.
She's a little surprised by it, but Shirayuki who is also so very genuine trusts him, and that gives Kihal a little bit more confidence than she'd anticipated. It's baffling how much even the walls come down of her heart, and how she realizes when he comes through and proves his trustworthiness just what that all means.
She's compassionate about the birds, compassionate about her people, and Zen can see that right when he meets her. She's determined and hard working and brave with coming all the way out here when she's already been burned by Count Brecker.
Zen is amazed by just the sheer strength that is Kihal upon meeting her, but also the gentleness of her with Popo, with Shirayuki, with others. She's strong and resilient, courageous and loving. Zen's simply amazed.
And maybe it's common among people without noble titles, since Shirayuki and Kihal both have amazed him before, and since the civilians he's met have been absolutely incredible too, for the most part. (Obviously excluding Umihebi and Mihaya, who both prioritized monetary gain over Shirayuki and anyone else's wellbeing.)
And even if it's common among those without titles, Zen's still mesmerized and amazed by it. These are the people that he'd rather back him up than the noblemen like Brecker who prefer titles and money over people and the good of others.
