After Seiichi had left the room, Amelia and the others remained behind, still deep in discussion.
“I’ve asked him to wait until tomorrow for his reward, but…”
“Are you okay, oneechan? I mean… just from what we’ve talked about, it really doesn’t seem like there’s any reward we could realistically offer.” Helen glanced toward her sister with concern, her voice quiet but sincere.
“Yes, it’s difficult,” Leyll added with a slow nod. “Honestly, the scale of his achievement is so overwhelming, we don’t even have any point of reference to draw from.”
“Exactly,” Amelia sighed. “Normally, you’d focus on satisfying the person without overly taxing the treasury… But this situation? It’s different. I’ve been seriously considering what would truly satisfy him—not just what is politically safe or fiscally convenient.”
Amelia rubbed her temple as if to ease the pressure.
“It’s true…” she added. “Back when I had to hand out rewards to those idiotic nobles, the situation and my feelings were entirely different. I honestly have no idea what I’m doing anymore.”
Ideas for Seiichi’s reward were thrown around, but none stuck. The discussion circled endlessly, with each suggestion falling flat.
Seiichi hasn’t said a word about what he wants, but it was apparent he wasn’t hurting for money. And as for weapons or armor, nothing in the entire Varcia Empire could surpass what he already possessed.
It felt like the talks were doomed to spiral into a dead end.
But then, Amelia suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with clarity and resolve.
“I’ve decided.”
“Huh?”
“You’ve… decided?” Helen blinked in surprise. “You mean, about the reward?”
All eyes turned toward Amelia.
She gave a calm, deliberate nod, saying, “Yes. I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to marry Seiichi-dono.”
“What?!”
The entire room froze in place, her declaration crashing into them like a thunderclap.
But Amelia didn’t flinch. She stood firm, her tone unwavering as she continued.
“Let’s be honest. Right now, there’s nothing the Varcia Empire can offer that would truly satisfy Seiichi-dono. So, in that case… the only thing left to give him is me, the Empress.”
“W-Wait a minute, oneechan! Are you seriously saying this?!” Helen shot forward, eyes wide with disbelief.
“I’m completely serious,” Amelia said, placing a hand on her chest with quiet conviction. “Fortunately, I’ve always had decent looks, and I’ve received no shortage of marriage proposals from royals and nobles in other countries. But I’ve turned them all down because I wanted to keep that card in reserve… for exactly this kind of moment. For the future of the Varcia Empire.”
Her voice dropped slightly, tinged with pragmatism.
“That said, I’ll admit, I’ve been thinking lately that I might be nearing the expiration date on this little strategy. After all, youth is power in these things, isn’t it?”
“T-That may be true.” Leyll was the next to recover from the shock. She spoke up hesitantly, her voice a careful whisper. “And yes, diplomacy by marriage is common among royals, but… using it as a reward? Isn’t that a bit extreme? I mean… from Seiichi’s perspective, this might just be a huge inconvenience. It might not even feel like a reward at all.”
“That’s true,” Amelia admitted with a wry smile. “Honestly, it might not be a reward.”
“T-Then why are you doing this?” Helen asked, clearly bewildered.
“Because at this point, the only things I can give him are myself… and my position. In other words, the throne of this country. Without Seiichi-dono, the Varcia Empire would have fallen. That’s just the truth.”
“I… I suppose that’s true…”
Amelia’s tone remained calm and unshaken. In her mind, there was no issue at all with the idea of Seiichi becoming king. After all, even if she married him and handed him the title of Emperor, she had every intention of continuing to handle all governmental affairs herself, just as she always had.
“In fact,” Amelia went on, her gaze distant yet sharp, “it might sound cold, but marrying Seiichi-dono would be a huge asset in diplomatic terms. That’s how powerful he is. His combat ability is utterly absurd.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Helen murmured, arms crossed, her brow knit. She knew firsthand just how ridiculously overpowered Seiichi was. The man wasn’t just a soldier or a mage: he was practically a walking natural disaster. Of course, such a person would be a diplomatic trump card.
Amelia gave a small shrug. “I mean, even if I offer myself to him, there’s no guarantee he’ll accept. But right now, I don’t have any better ideas. So… I’ll at least ask. That’s all I can do for now.”
With those words, the meeting about Seiichi’s reward came to a close, for the time being, at least.