"This isn't about money." Tang Qi shook his head.
"Then it's about not enough money." Kandelian nodded.
He had met far too many adventurers.
The only reason these people still called themselves adventurers, rather than mercenaries who gambled their lives for a living, was that they still harbored a little romantic idealism.
They felt their adventures weren't solely about money, but about fulfilling an obsession or achieving a goal, bringing some satisfaction to lives as dull as stagnant water.
So most of the time, they cared more about what they gained beyond money than about their payment.
With that in mind, he tried to show as much sincerity as possible. "Tell me your terms."
"Terms? You make it sound as if you can give me anything."
"Anything within my power, of course. Isn't that what negotiation is? It's not about what each side wants, but what each side has."
Still blowing bubbles, Kandelian was willing to treat Tang Qi with the utmost respect. That respect came entirely from a paladin who could shatter a [Shield Spell] with ease, and Tang Qi's unheard-of singing, which could stir Wild Magic. Article four of the War Mage Code: a qualified war mage would always keep Shield Spell, Counterspell, and Dispel Magic prepared in their spell list.
Even when a war reached an irreversible conclusion, staying alive meant there would always be a chance to turn things around.
Shield Spell was no Invulnerability, of course. Its strength depended on the timing of the cast, mental power, and understanding of the spell formula.
If someone was ambushed without warning and hastily raised a Shield Spell to defend themselves, the unstable formula could easily weaken the spell enough for it to be broken head-on.
But casting Shield Spell whenever in doubt had become almost every spellcaster's