Lorenz doesn't have to be sure of what he means for the words to matter to Marianne. Even if they're still figuring out all of the forms love can take, and even as she suspects she's not the only one of the two whose love for the other is purely platonic, she considers herself very blessed to have his. This is one of the greatest benefits of learning to accept herself--loving and being loved by others, no matter the context.

Marianne does him the kindness of not pointing out the inherent hypocrisy of his statement and how he's not applying the same rules to himself as he does to her. Instead, she leans into his arms and rests her head against him. "They are foolish obligations, aren't they? I pray that our children--with each other or not--will feel freer to love and marry as they please in the new Fódlan we're creating for them."

Her words are warm and hopeful. Claude's vision may not be immediate enough for all of them to see all of the benefits, but that doesn't make her believe in it any less.

She glances up and notices the way in which he's looking at her, almost like he wants to say something else. "What is it?"