@shishamo right? I like the extra yaoi thing cuz the characters are so hetero that making them gay is just hilarious.
I really hope that Paulina remains as the emperor's friend only. BUT in case the author decides to make them a couple, please make it natural. I dont want to see a Paulina that out of the blue felt in love and go all girly for the emperor. The emperor loves Ionu very much that is why he is his friend but males tend to "fall in love" when they are friendly with females. That is why I consider his emotions for Paulina to be natural and normal. In contrast with Paulina. She has other things in her mind and right now she is living her best life but still a concern with her surrounding since she will be living in a peaceful era as a woman with power, military power. She doesn't have the time to fall in love and the emperor hasn't told her anything so feelings are not something that will pop up in her mind.
I would want to see her falling for another person first. Maybe later in her 40s. Let her husband die and then have the emperor, who is single or a widow, get to meet Paulina, and the possibility to have a chance with her makes him want to try it again and be direct this time. Paulina would be mature and would have experience life. romance and adventure. They will both have one or two children/ I think Paulina needs 10-20 years of living life as a single person or a childish love before she finds "real love" if they want Paulina and the emperor together. If the emperor marries her, he would have cut her wings.
Everybody can see how horrible the life of a woman can be in her world. Even worse her life. Her father was an @zzwhole. He pretty much threw her to the army for her to die. She was lucky to survive and meet an eccentric emperor. He needs to grow as a human being and a woman, in particular, in that world. Meet many people. Fall in love with more than one person. Marry one and have a nice life. I wouldn't want to see her husband dying [because falling for the same gender would be a catastrophe for her] but that is the only way I would consider it natural for Paulina to fall for the emperor.
Sorry emperor but you have been a good friend, like a close friend you are to Ionu, so that is the only way I see it possible for her to loves you. As a good friend but nothing else.