I don’t think loving the actual history and loving the myth making of the genre are incompatible drives.

All societies make myths that represent an idealized perspective of their own history. The Greek tales of gods and heroes aren’t history, and certainly celebrate many problematic things that suited the agenda of their intended audience. Can we not enjoy them?

Mallory was certainly not providing an accurate depiction of chivalry and knightly duty, even for his own time. Are we not allowed to take his romances for what they are?

The modern world has not outgrown myth or myth making. I suspect we’re not even meaningfully more self aware about it than they were. I highly doubt Homer’s contemporaries were unaware of the mythmaking he was engaging in.

I see no problem in enjoying both for what they are.