Wein Salas Valgren is the main protagonist of the light novel and anime series The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt. As the genius prince of the bankrupt Principality of Natra, Wein works to restore his nation’s finances and prestige. A central question in the story is who Wein will end up in a romantic relationship with. Here is an in-depth look at Wein’s potential love interests and analysis of who he is most likely to end up with.
Ninym Ralei
Ninym is Wein’s bodyguard and closest companion. A member of the Ralei clan, who have served as protectors to Natra’s royal family for generations, Ninym has trained her whole life to be Wein’s shadow and defend him from harm. Though their relationship starts out as lord and subordinate, they quickly become very close friends who understand each other perfectly.
Ninym is deeply loyal to Wein and is always by his side to support him. She admires his intellect and genius strategies. Though she outwardly acts very serious and professional, she secretly harbors romantic feelings for Wein. There are many hints of an attraction between them, such as when Wein pretended to be her lover to help her avoid an arranged marriage. It is strongly implied that Ninym has fallen in love with him.
As Wein’s foremost ally who is singularly devoted to him above all else, Ninym seems to be the most likely romantic match for Wein. Their close bond and ability to work flawlessly together means they complement each other extremely well. Ninym’s pure feelings for Wein also suggest she is a prime candidate to be his future partner.
Advantages of Ninym
- Deep understanding of Wein due to lifelong bond
- Works very well together with flawless teamwork
- Highly loyal and dedicated to Wein
- Romantic feelings for Wein shown through actions and hints
Disadvantages of Ninym
- Very serious personality contrasts with Wein
- Social class difference as lord and retainer
- May have to give up being Wein’s shadow if romance distracted from duty
Lowa Elipton
Lowa is Wein’s fiancee from the noble House of Elipton in Natra. Their engagement was arranged by Wein’s late parents when they were just children. Though Wein treats it as a mutually beneficial political arrangement, Lowa has genuine feelings for him.
As Wein’s fiancee, Lowa has the advantage of already being in a committed relationship with him. She tries her best to be a good partner to Wein through actions like helping his cotton cultivation project and organizing a ball for him. Though Wein mostly ignores her, Lowa continues to care for him despite his coldness.
Lowa’s affection for Wein seems quite one-sided so far, as he only interacts with her when he needs something for his plans. However, if Wein eventually reciprocated Lowa’s feelings, their engagement means he could readily choose her as his romantic partner. But he would have to develop a real attachment first.
Advantages of Lowa
- Already in a committed relationship as fiancee
- Genuine romantic feelings for Wein
- Actively tries to support and assist Wein
- Political benefits from unity of houses
Disadvantages of Lowa
- One-sided feelings so far
- Wein indifferent and cold toward Lowa
- Lack of deep bond or understanding
- Wein may neglect her for other goals
Zeno Alba
Zeno is Wein’s close friend from Baltruk, a small neighboring nation. They studied together at an academy in Baltruk’s capital where Zeno was one of the few people who could match wits with Wein. He deeply respects Wein’s abilities and shares Wein’s cynical, tactical approach.
Though they are presented as platonic friends, there are hints of a potential romantic undertone. Zeno is the only person besides Ninym who Wein opens up to about his true self. They understand each other very well and Zeno provides Wein with emotional support in his own way.
However, there is no concrete evidence of reciprocal non-platonic feelings between them so far. Unless that dynamic changes, Zeno seems destined to remain Wein’s trusted friend rather than love interest.
Advantages of Zeno
- Deep mutual understanding and respect
- Intellectual equals who think alike
- Wein is open and truthful with Zeno
- Zeno provides Wein emotional support
Disadvantages of Zeno
- No clear romantic feelings shown
- Rarely interact due to living in separate nations
- May lack natural chemistry as a pair
- Unlikely to progress past trusted friends
Olivia
Olivia is Wein’s younger half-sister from his father’s second marriage. Wein cares for Olivia and acts kindly toward her, indicating he sees her as true family. Olivia admires Wein and relies on him to guide her.
There are a few subtle hints that Olivia may harbor a crush on Wein, such as getting flustered when he touched her head. But given their sibling relationship, it is very unlikely Olivia would actually end up with Wein romantically. Her feelings probably stem from youthful admiration rather than genuine romantic love.
Unless the story took a very surprising twist, Olivia seems destined to remain Wein’s beloved little sister rather than a romantic partner.
Advantages of Olivia
- Wein cares for her like family
- Olivia admires and relies on Wein
- May harbor some youthful admiration
Disadvantages of Olivia
- Siblings – very taboo societal norm
- Age gap makes romance inappropriate
- Olivia’s feelings likely just admiration, not love
- Extremely unlikely pairing
Falanya
Falanya is Lowa’s younger sister who gets along well with Wein. Though they interact positively, there have not been any clear signs of romantic interest between Falanya and Wein so far.
Wein seems to view Falanya mostly as Lowa’s more agreeable sister. In turn, Falanya respects Wein for his restoration of Natra but does not demonstrate any singular affection. Without further relationship development, Falanya appears unlikely to end up with Wein.
Advantages of Falanya
- Get along well in their limited interactions
- Political alliance with Elipton house
Disadvantages of Falanya
- No clear romantic feelings shown
- Wein may only see her as Lowa’s sister
- No intimate bond established
- Seems unlikely to be Wei’s choice
Conclusion
Based on in-depth analysis of Wein’s relationships and interactions with the major female characters, Ninym appears to be the most likely romantic match for Wein by a significant margin. Their exceptionally close bond, flawless teamwork, mutual understanding, and hints of Ninym’s affection give her the best chance of becoming Wein’s partner.
Lowa is in the next tier as Wein’s fiancee, but the relationship remains one-sided so far. For Wein to choose Lowa, he would need to reciprocate her existing feelings. Zeno, Olivia and Falanya appear unlikely to end up with Wein romantically unless there are major new story developments.
In conclusion, Ninym has the optimal combination of factors that point to her ultimately becoming Wein’s romantic partner by the story’s end. Their lifelong bond has all the ingredients – trust, teamwork, care, and partnership – that would allow Ninym and Wein to eventually transition from friends and allies to lovers.
