Hypotheticals aside, and with all due respect, what godly business is it of yours?
"Rules are there for a good reason and must be followed" is also called fascism under certain circumstances. The old soviet ladies watching like hawks from balconies the goings on in the hood were all about power trips and exploiting the situation.
If you wish to explore how one well intentioned rule building on another leads to atrocities I recommend you read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gulag_Archipelago
What is "maximally romantic" for other people to do is truly none of your concern. Other peoples affairs are their own, who knows if you even understand the situation properly and yet you rush to become their self appointed judge, jury, and executioner... why? For the greater good? Take a long honest look in the mirror.
Right, because things like rule of law and consistent application of rules are the hallmarks of a fascist polity.
We are too far apart in our assumptions and definitions to have a meaningful discussion.
Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition. The pope is infallible. And the cardinal surely knows best. Ours is not to question why.
You see, every two bit authoritarian is always so very sure that they are correctly interpreting and enforcing the rules. Strong sense of justice, all for the greater good.
And every two bit dictator learns to capitalize on these proclivities. All one has to do is create a rotten atmosphere of guilt, after all, who isn't guilty of something? And then just crown yourself enforcer-in-chief.
If anybody questions you just assert that they are morally inferior, insensitive or just don't get it and goose-step away in a huff.
You are not batman. You are Thunder Karen.
But the rule is there for a reason, a good reason, and everybody else had to follow it. I’ve heard of people leaving companies and having to effectively be demoted due to interpersonal relationships; that’s the responsible thing to do. It avoids the issues of conflict of interest and power dynamics. Choosing to simply flaunt the rules is not exactly admirable and maybe not even that romantic. The maximally romantic thing would be to give up the position as a sacrifice.
Do I get why someone wouldn’t want to do that? Sure, but you can’t eat your cake and have it too…