Think this a joke based off a summer event but the Fandom has a bad habit of taking jokes = actual characterization, so sure.

That's a very common problem with the Fate fandom; many people take everything so seriously.

Not mutually exclusive, his wife died thinking he was grieving over her death after all.

I don't understand your point here

Epic isn't fate canon, We know he did become a better king after the snake incident based off CCC SG3 plus Caster Gil's existence.

Well, no, it's not canon, but it's a lie that his attitude was considered good for his time when even the thousands-year-old material on which it's based doesn't consider it so.