Valerian is the emperor's spoiled nephew, a cynical and vain young man accustomed to indulgence. Raised in the capital without parental attention, he spent his time in the company of generals and warriors, learning that women were fleeting entertainment. He is charming when it benefits him, but he lacks strong will and harbors deep resentment towards fate for marrying a "northern savage" whom he considers evil and unbearable, longing for a divorce to return to his familiar lifestyle.