ARE YOU ME BECAUSE THE FIRST LEGIT ATE MY BRAIN, I PLAYED IT SO MUCH I WAS SEEING THE CHARACTERS IN MY DREAMS.
For sure, Palmier definitely has a Machiavellian streak a country mile wide. The reddest flag in this game and I am simply giggling and twirling my hair. Yes king, manipulate me more. Gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss your way into my heart.
Honestly I think he lies more to the people he loves because he's self-aware. He knows how scummy his behaviour is, especially since this is after the first game and he got to meet his literal "better half". A version of him that basically swooped in and, in the span of a few weeks, essentially solved most of his world's issues, helped a ton of people, was super nice and friendly, and is now off gallivanting in a healthy loving relationship with the man Palmier basically manipulated into a relationship. Even his best intentions (e.g., bonding with Kor to try and end her suffering) ended up causing more problems.
I read his backstory and I think his low self esteem is also worsened by his backstory being revealed to be Seth's kid, meaning he's a witch (the thing everyone hates) and a child of assault by deception (if Seth disguised himself to trick his mom). Palmier hates himself a lot, in my opinion anyway. He knows he sucks, and definitely blames himself for a lot (both things he was and was not responsible for), and I think that's also why he posed as Ivar. Because he genuinely believes we wouldn't have fallen for him as himself even if we were soulmates.
Palmier: "Just be myself? The bitch who got me into this mess????"
But he still couldn't help himself lmao. Like boy you are not being subtle???? A bite on our ring finger???? You couldn't have calmed down for a hot second after breaking into our hospital room where we (technically) just met????? Then getting jealous of himself (probably meaning he's actually jealous of the suitors). "Wow Palmier, you're an intense kind of lover huh?" So possessive. I need him.
I do wonder if, since he's only technically a half-Witch, the whole bonding thing is different with him. After all he was human for a much longer time and no one was aware, and the siren said that Witches can't truly love. However, Ivar states multiple times that he's loved the women he partnered with in the past and ultimately does love his children. So I wonder what the truth is and how that affects Palmier.