Emmaline considered it. Like all citizens of the Empire she had heard tales of the Border Princes. In the public imagination it was a semi-mythical place in which any cut throat could raise themselves to the rulership of one of the many petty statelets. The notion had a certain appeal, though the more pragmatic side of her realized that the roads were hardly paved with gold. She also had some vague notion that the further one got from civilization the less effective lies became, that line of thinking made her more than a little nervous.

"People have always wanted to use me," Emmaline agreed, thinking back to her parents and also to Albrecht, to the Empire itself when she got right down to it. The Colleges hadn't been founded out of alturistic reasons, but to provide weapons for the Empire to use in its wars. Theoretically wars against Chaos, but against Brettonia and its internal opponents as well. 

"I suppose I've always had to take what people have given me and twist it to my own ends," she agreed. It had never struck her as particularly impressive. As for being able to go anywhere and do anything... well Neil somewhat underestimated the stigma of being a wizard. If she strayed too far from the capital and its College she ran the risk of running afoul of witch hunters and mobs. There were no possibilities of marriage, not that she wanted it, and her sorcerous talents were modest, although it was normal for talent to grow over the years.

"As for slumming it with you in a dusty tower... well it has its compensations," she began but realising that Neil was not looking for a glib response nodded thoughtfully.

"Well you are cute, and you did save me when you might as easily have left me when the orcs attacked, Albrecht would have in the same situation," she didn't give the last part any emotional loading, one of the skills of a con-artist was to judge people accurately, neither she nor her master were under any illusions about each other. Emmaline would have tried to have saved Albrecht but only because another master would be less accommodating of her interests.

"I like you," she admitted, "and sure maybe it isn't scamming a Lord out of a thousand marks but..." She trailed off trying to find a way to explain.

"It's ours, its exciting, I've always been on other peoples sufferance," she continued a familiar grin coming back to her face.

"So I suppose if I can do anything I want, what I want to do is steal pocket change in Nuln with you."