The empress actually loves Dolores. It’s said that Dolores is pretty much like the empress in behavior and thinking because they’re that close. However, the empress still didn’t want to give her the title of princess because she’s an ambitious woman and protects her son’s spot. Dolores will give the empress a lot of grief so the reader understands that the empress really does love Dolores because she was heartbroken over her. Dolores isn’t married because no nobleman in their right mind would marry an illegitimate daughter. Nobles marry for benefit and they look down on Dolores because she’s not officially a member of the imperial family.
So did Dolores not get married off because the empress wanted to keep her or because the empress actually hated her?