He sighed the moment he thinks about Katarina
Alexei understood the complexity of dealing with the Ice Queen Katarina.
He knew that attempting to curry favor with her would be a delicate and risky endeavour.
Katarina is not the type of person to appreciate flattery or insincerity.
Her honesty, transparency, and righteousness made her ill-suited for the world of politics, a realm known for its deceit and murky dealings.
In the eyes of Katarina, someone who tried to gain her support through false pretences would be seen as two-faced and untrustworthy.
Alexei knew that she valued integrity and authenticity, and any attempt to manipulate her would likely backfire.
Instead of earning respect and support, he could end up losing her trust and respect.
And he was never that close with Katarina. This is another similarity that Katarina have with Death Monarch