And finally mc found out why heronia was so hellbent on hooking up with him, such that even once she realized the plot was in shambles she still focused solely on him. And that when he manipulated her to achieve that that "downfall event" to calm bertias worries, he actually did something much more mean than simply leading a (drug addled) golddigger on, and that to her the entire failure did not merely mean her plans crumbling, her birds death, her social status becoming null and everyone she cared for rejecting her. But that she actually at that moment 'knew' (incorrectly?) that her failure would lead to war and plenty of death, likely also among those she cared for (aside from the prince also never joy in his life as a direct result).
I suspect heronia never even really felt love for him, and (aside from obvious fear of hooking up with a clear sociopath) were doing all this in spite of her reluctance, for the sake of the many.