beta
I feel like even when they have good intentions, a lot of male characters don’t consider certain things which can put the women they’re trying to help or support at a disadvantage. I get that the emperor is just trying to help (though he is definitely attracted to her), but there have already been rumors that she is his mistress and that she got the job because of that, rather than her skills. Her moving into the palace would be like pouring gas on the fire. Their society is already misogynistic enough, so the tiniest flaw or mistake can be used to harm or invalidate a woman’s expertise and standing. He’s more thinking about safety and convenience, but in doing so it’s very likely that her respect and authority would be undermined. He doesn’t quite seem to understand that his authority and permission alone are not enough to keep her in good standing. I just think it would be great if characters actually had a conscious discussion about it, rather than skirting around the issue even as it causes so many problems for them.