[Honestly, where there is magic, there are people researching it. It would more surprise Flora to know there wasn't an R&D team than otherwise. But she's about to agree and then changes tacts when she remembers last year.]

Actually, that isn't always nearly as impossible as you might think. Exceedingly dangerous, great chance of unimaginable punishment if caught and very likely not worth the effort, but not impossible. I'm not sure you were around when both courts broke into the other to try and steal something they each had. I don't think the sigils would be that easy, though.