Heena turned back to the view, her hands clasped behind her back.
"Because Kieran's family, Adrian's family, Lucian's family—they're not just powerful. They're 'generationally' powerful. Ancient bloodlines with deep roots. The kind of families that even the previous Emperor had to think twice before confronting directly."
She paused, letting that sink in.
"Celeste could win against them because she was ruthlessly powerful and, more importantly, because she had nothing to lose. She was willing to burn everything down—including herself—if it meant maintaining her authority."
"And you're not?" the System asked.
"I'm a transmigrator," Heena said bluntly. "I'm leaving in ten years. I can't afford to destabilize this empire to the point where it collapses the moment I'm gone. And if I divorce those five men, their families lose face. They lose their direct connection to imperial power. They become enemies instead of reluctant allies."
She turned to face the System directly.
