Kid Elric remembers exactly how his story ends.

After years of abusing and exploiting his wife, he is abandoned, ruined, and eventually crushed by the woman who rises to become Empress.

Wanting no part of that fate, he chooses the simplest solution he can think of:

Apologize.

Avoid trouble.

Stay out of Sia's way.

The plan works far better than expected.

A little too well, actually.

Because the future Empress who was supposed to hate him seems far more interested in why her ex-husband suddenly looks at her with guilt, lowers his head without pride, and keeps trying to leave.