"To complete the jobs brought to us by clients with as little collateral damage as possible." That much of the answer is honest enough. Collateral damage attracts unwanted attention. It was her guild's ability to avoid such things and their willingness to take jobs from the Magic Council discreetly that allowed them to operate without interference.

"All mage guilds have somewhat of a mercenary aspect to them. One might be hired to provide added security when something very expensive was being transported, to act as a bodyguard, to go and fight dangerous monsters...any number of things like that. I entered the guild when I was ten, and one of my first jobs was to be a secret bodyguard to a rich businessman's child the same age as me."