"The official story is wrong." The Emperor's voice was firm. "I met your mother in disguise. Just like Lin Mei. I was traveling as a common scholar, visiting her research facility. We talked for hours about magical theory, about applications that could improve civilian life. She didn't know who I was. And she... she saw me. Really saw me. Not the Emperor. Just a man who understood her work."
He swirled his wine. "We fell in love. Real love, built on actual connection instead of political positioning. And when she discovered I was the Emperor, she didn't run. She didn't try to use me. She just said, 'Well, that explains why your questions about imperial resource allocation were so specific.'"
Despite everything, Elara almost smiled.
"We were going to leave," the Emperor continued. "I was ready to abdicate. To walk away from this throne I'd built for a dead woman and live as a commoner with your mother. We had plans. A small house in the countryside. Research work. Normal life."
