"Oh." For a long minute he sat with it, rolling the idea over in his head.

And it's not that he's incapable of understanding, just that it goes against everything he knows. One performed their duty, or failed at it. There was no gratitude save to the Emperor himself. Or a brother who had saved you in battle.

All right, maybe he understood...a little.

"Archmagos, you should not have had to go so long without something that makes you feel like your work is meaningful and you are valued." Especially if simple trinkets reduced him to tears.