"Amelia, this is no time to be stubborn and indulge in wishful thinking!" the Prince blurted out.
"No, this isn't being stubborn. Just as my willingness to accept Mage Bart's affection and return it with my own true heart was not some passing whim, neither is this." She had the same sky-blue eyes as Elizabeth Ouyeni and stared directly at the Prince.
"You all used to say that if Bart were to marry me, he should first be adopted by another noble family. But are prestigious surnames and Honorific Titles really so important now?
"After the Marlin Kingdom unified the entire Empire, countless Mages and people with no inheritance rights earned palm-sized fiefs through military service. Countless people swore allegiance to His Majesty the Emperor.
"It is these very transformations that have made the Marlin Kingdom stronger than ever before.
