[center][h3][color=C0392B]Rudolf Shilage[/color][/h3][/center]

Okay, [i]point[/i], but...

He raised an eyebrow, remarkably calm in the wake of his oversight staring him in the face like he was an idiot.

[color=c0392b]"I thought you meant [i]properly[/i] properly. I was under the impression you're essentially reverse-engineering things through feeling and observation, not rigorous study. To be blunt, I figured half the reason you brought it up was because you'd [i]also[/i] be in the market for contact with a specialist— But... Sure. If I ever suddenly run into a wellspring of untapped potential to turn myself into [i]more[/i] of a walking bonfire, I'll keep you in mind if you're really that confident."[/color]

All told, there [i]was[/i] an undercurrent of sincerity in that glib rejoinder, if you listened for it. It seemed she really had slipped his mind, be it from the differences between Black and Red mages, her not exactly fitting the dismal image he was describing when shooting the idea down, or whatever else.